Patent Publication Number: US-2006010639-A1

Title: Electro-optical vacuum cleaner

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to vacuum cleaner and more particularly, it relates a vacuum cleaner which employs ultraviolet rays with the wavelength of 253.7 nanometers to kill bacteria while vacuuming and having ability to remain impurities aspirated air under the dust collector by its water filtration assembly.  
      1. Field of Invention  
      Conventional vacuum cleaners are widely used by households, offices, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and etc. Almost every family nowadays has at least one vacuum cleaner for any cleaning purposes.  
      Most conventional vacuum cleaners are cyclonic typed vacuum cleaners having an impeller to direct air flow, motorize a suction mechanism along with the manual motions of the users moving a cleaning head back and forth to achieve cleaning actions.  
      Almost all conventional vacuum cleaners have a suction head and a filter within their assembly. However, years and years, limitations such as having multi-function vacuum cleaners so as to clean more and faster or vacuuming, cleaning and killing bacteria at the same time are always an inspiration for inventors.  
      As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,934, a rotary motion linear operation mean of suction head for vacuum cleaner is provided. However, disadvantage for suction head of this kind is limited by its functions. Rotary motion suction head can only clean in a liner direction and only can perform cleaning function by friction caused by moving the suction head back and forth. However, no matter how suction heads of this kind work; it solely can perform one function at a time.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,874 provides a mean of vacuum cleaner with dry and/or wet rotating filter so as to enable a vacuum cleaner functions in both dry and wet status. However, again vacuum cleaner like this kind cannot kill bacteria.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,622 discloses another invention wherein a vacuum cleaner employs a water circulation cleaner. It provides a means of vacuuming and cleaning object&#39;s surface in a same time. However, again, this vacuum cleaner cannot kill bacteria and odor caused by dirtied cyclonic air flow impelled by its impeller unease user and people around while using this vacuum cleaner.  
      2. Description of Related Arts  
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      The main object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner that can perform multi-functions while vacuuming, i.e. to vacuum an object&#39;s surface and to clean an object&#39;s surface.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner which employs ultraviolet rays with the wavelength of 253.7 nanometers to kill bacteria on an object while vacuum cleaning.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner which can perform vacuum cleaning function with both dry and/or wet environment.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner which has a water filtration apparatuses so as to remain impurities aspirated air under the dust collector by its water filtration assembly and eliminate odor. Accordingly, to achieve the above objects a vacuum cleaner comprises: 
          a main body,     an exhaust inlet in a center portion of said main body,     a filter gauze on outer surface of said exhaust inlet,     an exhaust fan on inside surface of said exhaust inlet,     an electric motor integrally connected to said exhaust fan, and fastened in a middle of a fixed mount, and     an exhaust mount of said main body, and     a functional switching device mounted at front portion of said body that connects to an electronic component device, and     an exhaust outlet frame grid on back portion of said body,     a filter gauze on inner side of said exhaust outlet frame grid that neighbors exhaust outlet of air collector.        

      This electro-optical vacuum cleaner then uses ultraviolet radioactive rays emitted form the tube to eliminate bacteria, viruses and moulds on the floor, outside and inside the carpet. The garbage, dusts and other impurities aspirated by said vacuum cleaner then remains within the dust collector tube under said vacuum cleaner. Another independent extreme ultraviolet radioactive ray tube in the dust collector tube also emits extreme ultraviolet rays to kill viruses, bacteria and moulds in the air aspirated into the dust collector, and discharges clean air without bacteria, viruses or moulds from the exit frame grid to benefit the health of human being.  
      This innovative invention of said vacuum cleaner consists mainly of extreme ultraviolet radioactive ray tube, exhaust fan, electric motor, filter gauze, dust collector, air collector, extension power line, long flexible rubber belt and pulleys.  
      When garbage from the surface of floor, inside and outside of carpet is aspirated in the vacuum cleaner by the movable dust aspirator, the extreme ultraviolet radioactive ray tube in the movable dust aspirator emits extreme ultraviolet radioactive rays to kill bacteria, viruses and moulds on the floor and inside-and-outside the carpet, while the aspirated garbage will remain inside the dust collector tube, in which tube certain amount of clean water may be filled so as to absorb the dust thoroughly through the water filtration device, and to ensure discharged air to be clean and dustless; otherwise the water filtration device may be used and the tube will reserve the dust and garbage without filling in clean water.  
      The air collector inside the dust collector tube emits independent extreme ultraviolet radioactive rays that enable elimination of bacteria, viruses and moulds in the air aspirated, and discharge of clean air without bacteria, viruses and moulds from the exhaust bars. The exhaust fan is driven by the electric motor, producing powerful aspiration airflow to aspirate garbage and impurity substances as well as from the entrance of movable dust aspirator. Then through movable dust aspirator and dust collector tube, the aspirated air enters the air collector located on the sides of the cleaner, where independent extreme ultraviolet radioactive rays are emitted to kill the viruses, bacteria and moulds in the air to discharge clean air without bacteria, viruses or moulds from the exit frame grid through the filter gauze. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a preferred embodiment for the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a vertical sectional view thereof.  
       FIG. 3  is a front view of thereof.  
       FIG. 4  is a back view thereof.  
       FIG. 5  is an upward view thereof.  
       FIG. 6  is a bottom view thereof.  
       FIG. 7  is a structure drawing thereof.  
       FIG. 8  is a structural instruction of movable dust aspirator in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of movable dust aspirator in  FIG. 8 , describing the structure of the entrance of the movable dust aspirator thereof.  
       FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of movable dust aspirator in  FIG. 8 , describing the structure of ultraviolet radioactive ray tube in movable dust aspirator thereof.  
       FIG. 11  is a structural drawing of air collector in  FIG. 1 , describing the structure of ultraviolet radioactive ray tube in air collector thereof.  
       FIG. 12  is a vertical sectional view of air collector in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 13  is a vertical sectional view of  FIG. 1 , describing the structure of both passage for impelling air and passage for expelling air by the present invention thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      One of the preferred embodiment for the present invention is a vacuum cleaner comprises a streamline-shaped body ( 1 ), an exhaust inlet ( 2 ) in a center portion of said body ( 1 ); a filter gauze ( 7 ) on outer surface of said exhaust inlet ( 2 ), an exhaust fan ( 3 ) on an inside surface of said exhaust inlet ( 2 ), an electric motor ( 4 ) that is connected to the exhaust fan ( 3 ), and fastened in the middle of a fixed mount ( 49 ) and an exhaust mount ( 54 ) of said body ( 1 ), a functional switching device ( 5 ) in front portion of said body ( 1 ) that connects to an electronic component device ( 8 ), an exhaust outlet frame grid ( 6 ) at back portion of said body ( 1 ), a filter gauze ( 9 ) on an inner side of said exhaust outlet frame grid ( 6 ) that neighbors said exhaust outlet ( 11 ) of said air collector ( 10 ).  
      There is handle ( 12 ) on top surface of said body ( 1 ) designed for the convenience of users, a power line cover ( 13 ) under said handle ( 12 ) where said power line ( 14 ) is stored in a packing sleeve ( 26 ) at a lower center portion of said power line cover ( 13 ) so as to enable users stretch out said power line ( 14 ) to connect to civil power receptacle for use or press button ( 27 ) on top portion of said body ( 1 ) to automatically withdraw and wrap said power line in said packing sleeve ( 26 ).  
      There is an ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) at a center portion of said air collector ( 10 ), a plurality of metal contact chips ( 16 ) at both front and rear ends of said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ), and a stripe grid ( 17 ) at the bottom of said air collector ( 10 ) that enables penetration of air through said air collector ( 10 ) to reach exhaust outlet frame grid ( 6 ). Said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) is located in the center of said air collector ( 10 ), in other words, when air filled with bacteria, viruses and moulds moves through an air collecting walls ( 18 ) at both sides of said air collector ( 10 ) to enter the exhaust inlet ( 20 ) between said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) and said air collecting walls ( 18 ), said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) emits ultraviolet radioactive rays to eliminate bacteria, viruses and moulds in the air, and then so purified air is driven through the exhaust fan ( 3 ) to the exhaust outlet frame grid ( 6 ).  
      Said air collector ( 10 ) has blocking walls ( 21 ) that is capable of preventing emission of extreme ultraviolet radioactive rays towards outside of said body ( 1 ) and protecting users&#39; eyes.  
      In front of said body ( 1 ), there is an external electric supply socket ( 28 ) that connects to one end of an external power line ( 29 ). The other end of said external power line ( 29 ) is plugged in an external conductive socket ( 32 ) of a movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) to obtain power for said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) in said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ).  
      There is also a dust collector tube ( 22 ) at a lower portion of said body ( 1 ). The top of a dust collector tube ( 22 ) is fastened by two lockers ( 23 ) that usually made of metal material and fastening two flanges ( 24 ) at end portion of said body ( 1 ). A sealing washer ( 50 ) is placed at the bottom of a fixed mount ( 49 ) of said body ( 1 ) to ensure sealed connection between said body ( 1 ) and said dust collector tube ( 22 ).  
      There is an external hose ( 33 ) exhaust inlet ( 34 ) in central front portion of said dust collector tube ( 22 ). An inner surface of said exhaust inlet ( 34 ) cleans close to and connects a 90° exhaust inlet hose ( 35 ), the end of which goes through a central hole in pressure flat board ( 51 ) to connect said exhaust outlet ( 52 ), enabling dust and garbage aspirated to go through the clean water.  
      One end of hose ( 33 ) in front of said exhaust inlet ( 34 ), which is in front portion of said dust collector tube ( 22 ), easily slips in and turned around and locked out; while another end of said hose ( 33 ) connects to said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ).  
      There are four circular pulleys ( 36 ) at bottom portion of said dust collector tube ( 22 ) that facilitate free movement of said vacuum cleaner on the floor or the carpet.  
      Said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) is shaped in rectangular structure, and has a movable receptacle ( 37 ) on its top, with one end connects to exhaust inlet ( 38 ) and the other end to exhaust outlet ( 39 ), and fixed with one end of said hose ( 33 ). There is an external conductive socket ( 32 ) on one side of said exhaust outlet ( 39 ) of said movable receptacle ( 37 ) that is plugged in to one end of an external power line ( 30 ) for power supply. The other exhaust inlet ( 38 ) of said movable receptacle ( 37 ) connects to said exhaust outlet ( 41 ) on upper cover ( 40 ) of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ), and facilitates automatic adjustment of angles of usage during cleaning with said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ). There are three pulleys ( 43 ) in a glide board ( 42 ) at a bottom portion of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) that facilitate free movement of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) on the floor or the carpet. In front of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) there is fixed ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ), in both front and rear portion of which there are plurality of metal contact chips ( 16 ), and at bottom portion of which there is a transmission scope ( 44 ) made of transparent material and enables said ultraviolet radioactive rays to radiate onto the floor and in the carpet. There is a fixed long flexible rubber belt ( 45 ) in rear bottom of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) that facilitates absorption of garbage and impurities from said exhaust inlet ( 30 ) during movement of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) on the floor or the carpet.  
      There is a plurality contact switches ( 46 ) at a bottom portion of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ). Said contact switches ( 46 ) do not activate said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube to emit said ultraviolet radioactive rays until it senses contact of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) with the ground, and otherwise shuts down said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 31 ) to stop emission of said ultraviolet radioactive rays once said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) leaves the ground.  
      In actual operation, when said vacuum cleaner is activated, said electric motor ( 4 ) drives said exhaust fan ( 3 ), a high-speed rotation of which generates powerful aspirating airflow to absorb air, garbage and impurity substances through said exhaust inlet ( 34 ) of said dust collector tube ( 22 ) to reach said clean water in said dust collector tube ( 22 ). The air filled with viruses, bacteria and moulds then enters said air collector ( 10 ) through said central exhaust inlet ( 2 ) of said body ( 1 ). There are multiple stripe grids ( 17 ) at a bottom portion of said air collector ( 10 ) enables the air to go through said air collector ( 10 ) to reach said exhaust outlet bars ( 6 ). Said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) is located in a center portion of said air collector ( 10 ). In other words, air filled with bacteria, viruses and moulds goes through said air collector walls ( 18 ) at both sides of said air collector ( 10 ) to enter said exhaust inlet ( 20 ) between said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) and said air collector walls ( 19 ), when said violate radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) emits extreme ultraviolet radioactive rays to kill said bacteria, viruses and moulds in the air. Then said purified air is sent to said exhaust outlet bars ( 6 ) of said body ( 1 ) through said exhaust fan ( 3 ), while garbage and other impurity substances, not able to go through said clean water or said filter gauze ( 7 ) outside of said exhaust exit ( 2 ) in said central body ( 1 ), remains in said dust collector tube ( 15 ).  
      Should user slips said hose ( 33 ) over said exhaust inlet ( 34 ) at front portion of said dust collector tube ( 22 ), and joins another end of said hose ( 33 ) to said external long movable handle ( 47 ), another end of which is fastened to said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ). Thus both air and garbage enter from said exhaust inlet ( 48 ) of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ). If user plugs one end of said external power line ( 29 ) to said external power socket ( 28 ) at front portion of said body ( 1 ), and another end to said external conductive socket ( 32 ) of said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ), said power will be conducted to said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) in said movable dust aspirator ( 31 ) to activate said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ).  
      In other words, said exhaust fan ( 3 ) in said body ( 1 ) rotates to generate powerful aspirating airflow to aspirate air and garbage filled with viruses, bacteria and moulds into said dust collector tube ( 22 ) through said exhaust inlet ( 30 ) of said movable dust aspirator ( 10 ), then to reach said air collector ( 10 ), where said ultraviolet radioactive rays emitted by said ultraviolet radioactive ray tube ( 15 ) eliminate said viruses, bacteria and moulds in the air, garbage and pollutants. At last, fresh and clean air is discharged out of said exhaust outlet bars ( 6 ) of said body ( 1 ) and improves quality of the air in a room. Once the user separates said body ( 1 ) and said dust collector tube ( 22 ), said vacuum cleaner immediately disconnects and said user may then throw water carrying dust and garbage out of the dust collector tube ( 22 ) to dump in a designated sewage.  
      This innovative, advanced, environmental and health invention of water filtration electro-optical bactericidal vacuum cleaner generates extreme ultraviolet rays with wavelength at 253.7 nanometers from its ultraviolet radioactive ray tube. Scientific studies have proved that ultraviolet rays at such wavelength can most effectively eliminate bacteria, viruses and moulds in the air. This vacuum cleaner facilitates uses by families, hospitals, senior citizen centers, department stores, cinemas, restaurants, offices, plants, and in elevators, automobiles, vessels, airplanes and railways of all sizes in modern society. Said vacuum cleaner cleans and disinfects to improve living, residential, medical, work, consumption environment and means of communication, and to regain a clean space for the human being while the natural environment is constantly destroyed by the modern society.