Patent Publication Number: US-8973213-B2

Title: Dust collection unit and vacuum cleaner with the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a dust collection unit and a vacuum cleaner with the same, and more particularly, to a dust collection unit for collecting dust using a water filter and a vacuum cleaner with the same. 
     2. Background Art 
     In general, most of cleaners adopt a method of inhaling refuges, such as dust, together with air using a suction power by a motor and/or a fan and filtering and collecting the refuges by a filter, such as a dust bag, or a method of collecting dust of a relatively large particle size in a dust container using the cyclone principle and filtering and removing dust of a small particle size using a dense filter. 
     Such cleaners have several problems in that they are very inconvenient in disposing a large quantity of the collected dust, in that they are unsanitary due to a great deal of harmful substances contained in the air discharged to the outside because the cleaner is used repeatedly in a state where the collected dust is accumulated in the cleaner for a long time, and in that the filter requires a periodic replacement and it needs costs to purchase filters. 
     Recently, in order to overcome the above-mentioned problems, a cleaner using a water filter has been invented. However, because the conventional vacuum cleaner using the water filter adopts a method of jetting and collecting air and dust in water using a water flow pipe, a part of the water flow pipe is exposed out of the water by jetting speed and pressure of the air and the dust through the water flow pipe, and hence, the dust is discharged out without being adsorbed to the water. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a dust collection unit, which can enhance dust collection efficiency, and a vacuum cleaner with the same. 
     To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a dust collection unit including: a container formed in an empty cylindrical shape and filled with water to a predetermined height above a lower wall, the container having an inlet and an outlet formed in an upper wall; and a water flow pipe whose top is joined to the inlet and whose bottom is submerged in water in such a manner that the bottom of the water flow pipe is spaced apart from the lower wall, wherein the water flow pipe includes: a first pipe having a first inner diameter and being joined to the inlet; a second pipe having a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter and extending downwardly from the bottom of the first pipe; and a water channel formed in a body of the second pipe defining the second inner diameter in such a way as to fluidably communicate with the inside of the second pipe, wherein the second pipe and the water channel are located under the surface of the water, and the dust contained in the air introduced into the second pipe through the first pipe is collected by the water supplied through the water channel. 
     A plurality of the water channels are inclined downwardly toward the center of the second inner diameter and provided along the circumference of the second pipe. 
     The water flow pipe extends downwardly from the bottom of the second pipe and further comprises a third pipe whose inner diameter becomes gradually larger than the second inner diameter in the downward direction. 
     The dust collection unit further includes a filter arranged between the surface of the water and the lower wall, the bottom of the water flow pipe being inserted into the filter. 
     The dust collection unit further includes a water cyclone member arranged between the surface of the water and the filter for rotating the water containing dust and air in the circumferential direction. 
     The water cyclone member includes: a vertical wall formed in a ring shape and arranged under the surface of the water in such a way as to be in contact with the inner wall of the container; a plurality of discharge parts protruding in the direction of the height of the vertical wall and respectively having discharge holes formed at one side thereof in the circumferential direction, the discharge parts being joined to the inner face of the vertical wall along the circumferential direction; and an inclined wall extending toward the center of the vertical wall from the discharge parts in such a way as to be inclined downwardly, the second pipe being inserted into the inclined wall, wherein the inlet of the water channel faces a space formed between the inclined wall and the surface of the water. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner includes: a suction part for inhaling dust and air; a fan-motor unit providing a suction power to the suction part; and the dust collection unit according to one of claims  1  to  6 , the dust collection unit being arranged in an air flow path between the suction part and the fan-motor unit for collecting the dust. 
     As described above, the dust collection unit and the vacuum cleaner having the dust collection unit according to the present invention can enhance the dust collection efficiency using the water flow pipe to which Bernoulli&#39;s principle is applied. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the drawings, but it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment and drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a structure of a cleaner main body of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a dust collection unit; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of an “A” part of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view, partly in section, of a water cyclone member of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will be now made in detail to a dust collection unit and a vacuum cleaner with the same according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings. First, in the drawings, the same components have the same reference numerals even though they are illustrated in different figures. In addition, in the description of the present invention, when it is judged that detailed descriptions of known functions or structures related with the present invention may make the essential points vague, the detailed descriptions of the known functions or structures will be omitted. 
     Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the vacuum cleaner  1  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a suction part  10  and a cleaner main body  20 . The cleaner main body  20  provides a suction power to the suction part  10 , and the suction part  10  inhales dust and air. The dust and air inhaled through the suction part  10  are introduced into the cleaner main body  20 , and the cleaner main body  20  collects dust using water, and then, discharges the air, from which dust is removed, to the outside. 
     The suction part  10  includes a hand-grip part  12 , a suction tube  14 , a suction nozzle  16 , a suction hose  18 , and a connection tube  19 . The hand-grip part  12  has a controlling part  11  for controlling the operation of the vacuum cleaner  1 . The suction tube  14  is detachably joined to the front end of the hand-grip part  12 , and the suction nozzle  16  is joined to the front end of the suction tube  14 . The suction nozzle  16  inhales dust and air. The suction hose  18  is joined to the rear end of the hand-grip part  12 , and the suction hose  18  is joined to a suction hole  23  of the cleaner main body  20  through the connection tube  19 . The suction hose  18  and the connection tube  19  induce the dust and air inhaled by the suction nozzle  16  into the cleaner main body  20 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a structure of a cleaner main body  20  of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cleaner main body  20  includes a housing  22 , a fan-motor unit  100 , and a dust collection unit  200 . The housing  22  has the suction hole  23  and an exhaust hole  25 , and an air flow path  27  provided inside the housing  22  in order to connect the suction hole  23  and the exhaust hole  25  with each other. The fan-motor unit  100  and the dust collection unit  200  are arranged in the air flow path  27 . The fan-motor unit  100  is arranged at the rear end of the dust collection unit  200 , and provides the suction power for inhaling dust and air to the suction part  10  after passing through the dust collection unit  200 . The fan-motor unit  100  includes a motor  110  and a suction fan  120  rotated by the motor  110 . 
     The connection tube  19  of the suction part  10  is joined to the suction hole  23 , and hence, the dust and air inhaled by the suction nozzle  16  of the suction part  10  are flowed into the suction hole  23  through the connection tube  19 . The dust and air inhaled into the suction hole  23  are transferred to the dust collection unit  200  through the air flow path  27 , and the dust collection unit  200  collects dust in the air. The air from which dust is removed passes through the air flow path  27  by the suction power and the air blast power of the fan-motor unit  100  and is transferred to the exhaust hole  25 . The exhaust hole  25  discharges the air from which dust is removed, namely, the purified air, to the outside from the housing  22 . 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a dust collection unit,  FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of an “A” part of  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 5  is a perspective view, partly in section, of a water cyclone member of  FIG. 3 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the dust collection unit  200  includes a container  220 , a water flow pipe  240 , a filter  260 , and a water cyclone member  250 . 
     The container  220  includes: a cylindrical body  222  opened at the top and the bottom; an upper cap  224  joined to the opened top of the body  222 ; and a lower cap  228  joined to the opened bottom of the body  222 . The upper cap  224  has an inlet  225  and an outlet  227 . The inlet  225  fluidably communicates with the suction part  10  through the suction hole  23  of the cleaner main body, and the outlet  227  fluidably communicates with the fan-motor unit  100 . A space defined by the body  222  and the lower cap  228  is filled with water (W), which performs a filtering function, to a predetermined height. Here, the upper cap  224  and the lower cap  228  may be referred to an upper wall and a lower wall. 
     The top of the water flow pipe  240  is joined to the inlet  225 , and the bottom of the water flow pipe  240  is submerged in water in such a way as to be spaced apart from the lower cap  228 . In detail, the water flow pipe  240  includes a first pipe  242 , a second pipe  244 , water channels  246 , and a third pipe  248 . 
     The first pipe  242  has a first inner diameter (D 1 ) and extends long in the downward direction, and the top of the first pipe  242  is inserted and joined into the inlet  225 . The second pipe  244  has a second inner diameter (D 2 ) smaller than the first inner diameter (D 1 ), and extends in the downward direction from the bottom of the first pipe  242  in such a way as to be submerged in water (W). Connection parts of the first pipe  242  and the second pipe  244  may be tapered. 
     The water channels  246  are formed in a body of the second pipe  244  defining the second inner diameter (D 2 ) so as to fluidably communicate with the inside of the second pipe  244 . A plurality of the water channel  246  are inclined in the downward direction toward the center of the second inner diameter (D 2 ), and provided along the circumferential direction of the second pipe  244 . The top of the water channel  246  is opened upwardly, and the bottom of the water channel  246  is opened toward the inside of the second pipe  244 . The water introduced into the top of the water channel  246  is discharged to the inside of the second pipe  244  through the bottom of the water channel  246 . 
     The dust and air introduced into the first pipe  242  through the inlet  225  form a descending current and flow into the second pipe  244 . At this instance, because the second inner diameter (D 2 ) of the second pipe  244  is smaller than the first inner diameter (D 1 ) of the first pipe  242 , the velocity of the dust and air inside the second pipe  244  becomes faster than the velocity of the dust and air inside the first pipe  242 , and finally, the inside pressure of the second pipe  244  becomes lower than the inside pressure of the first pipe  242  (Bernoulli&#39;s principle). In the above state, water is introduced into the second pipe  242 , which is in the lower pressure state, through the water channel  244 , and hence, dust in the air is collected by the water introduced into the second pipe  242 . 
     The third pipe  248  extends in the downward direction from the bottom of the second pipe  244 , and the inner diameter becomes larger than the second inner diameter (D 2 ) toward the bottom. Because the inner diameter of the third pipe  248  becomes gradually larger than the second inner diameter (D 2 ), the velocity of the fluid becomes gradually slower, and hence, the water collecting dust and the air containing dust are diffused. Moreover, a bubble phenomenon occurs by air (containing dust) introduced into the water (W) and the water collecting dust through the third pipe  248 , and hence, a contact area among dust, air and water is expanded, and during the above process, dust in the air is separated in the water (W) and is adsorbed to the water (W). 
     The filter  260  is arranged between the surface of water and the lower cap  228 . In detail, the filter  260  surrounds the third pipe  248  so as to filter dust of a large particle size in the air which passes the third pipe  248  of the water flow pipe  240 . Thereby, it can prevent that the dust of the large particle size is introduced to the top of the water channel  246  and the water channel  246  is stopped. 
     The water cyclone member  280  is arranged between the surface of water and the filter  260 , and then, water containing the dust and air passing through the filter  260  is rotated in the circumferential direction of the container  220 . The water cyclone member  280  includes a vertical wall  282 , discharge parts  284 , and an inclined wall  286 . The vertical wall  282  is formed in a ring shape, and is arranged under the surface of the water (W) in such a way as to be in contact with the inner face of the body  222  of the container  220 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a plurality of the discharge parts  284  protrude in the direction of the height of the vertical wall  282 , and is joined to the inner face of the vertical wall  282  along the circumference of the vertical wall  282 . Each of the discharge parts  284  facing the circumferential direction of the vertical wall  282  has a discharge hole  285  formed at one side thereof. The inclined wall  286  extends downward toward the center of the vertical wall  282  from the discharge parts  284 . The inclined wall  286  has a connection hole  287  formed in the middle thereof in order to communicate the upper part and the lower part of the inclined wall  286  with each other, and the second pipe  244  of the water flow pipe  240  is inserted into the connection hole  287 . 
     The water containing dust and air passing through the filter  260  is rotated in the circumferential direction of the vessel  220  while being discharged through the discharge parts  284  of the water cyclone member  280 , and hence, the air is separated from the water during the above process. The separated air is discharged out through the outlet  227  formed in the upper cap  224  of the container  220 . Furthermore, the rotated water moves toward the top of the water channel  246  along the inclined wall  286  of the water cyclone member  280 , and then, is introduced into the top of the water channel  246 . 
     As described above, while the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the above embodiments of the present invention are all exemplified and various changes, modifications and equivalents may be made therein without changing the essential characteristics and scope of the present invention. Therefore, it would be understood that the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to describe the present invention, and the technical and protective scope of the present invention shall be defined by the illustrated embodiments. It should be also understood that the protective scope of the present invention is interpreted by the following claims and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope belong to the technical scope of the present invention.