Patent Publication Number: US-11395568-B2

Title: Multifunctional cleaning device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a cleaning device, and more particularly to a multifunctional and multiuse cleaning device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A broom is a simplest tool for sweeping and cleaning up the garbage on the ground. The broom can be used to clean up the garbage on the ground in a small range. However, with respect to a large range of ground, the cleaning efficiency of the broom is extremely low. In order to achieve cleaning effect with less strength, various vacuum cleaners have been developed and commercially available. The conventional vacuum cleaners can be further classified into a handheld vacuum cleaner that can be controlled by a user himself/herself and a non-handheld robot vacuum cleaner. The robot vacuum cleaner can automatically sweep off and collect the garbage on the ground in its moving path. 
     However, both the conventional handheld vacuum cleaner and the robot vacuum cleaner have their shortcomings. For example, the handheld vacuum cleaner has better dust-sucking effect. However, the handheld vacuum cleaner needs a user to manually hold and operate. The robot vacuum cleaner can operate without the control of a user. However, due to the limitation of the volume and structure of the robot vacuum cleaner, the robot vacuum cleaner can hardly get into the areas with a lot of obstacles or the areas low under some articles (such as a chair, a table or furniture). Therefore, the robot vacuum cleaner cannot achieve the dust-sucking effect as the conventional handheld vacuum cleaner. Moreover, in the case that during the cleaning process, the robot vacuum cleaner encounters an obstacle and is unable to come out, the robot vacuum cleaner will clog and fail to further operate. In addition, a non-handheld robot mopping device is now on the market. Such non-handheld robot mopping device has the same problem as the non-handheld robot vacuum cleaner. Due to the limitation of the volume and structure, the robot mopping device has poor mopping and cleaning effect and needs to be improved. 
     It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a multifunctional cleaning device to solve the above problems existing in the conventional cleaning devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a multifunctional cleaning device, which is a multiuse cleaning device with multiple functions. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above multifunctional cleaning device, which has greatly enhanced cleaning effect. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above multifunctional cleaning device, which has both cleaning and mopping functions. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above multifunctional cleaning device, which can adjust the cleaning force in accordance with different materials of the grounds. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above multifunctional cleaning device, which also has transfer function. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, the multifunctional cleaning device includes a main body, a telescopic tube body, a cleaning head set and a control unit. Multiple drive units are mounted on one side of the main body. The main body has a detection unit for detecting cleaning range and path. The telescopic tube body is telescopically connected with the main body. The telescopic tube body has a first end and a second end. The first end is connected with one end of the main body in communication with the main body. The second end is correspondingly connected with the cleaning head set. The cleaning head set communicates with the telescopic tube body. The control unit is disposed in the main body to execute system control and judge received signals so as to give commands to the drive units for controlling the move of the main body. 
     By means of the structural design of the present invention, the main body of the multifunctional cleaning device has the detection unit for detecting the cleaning range and path. Moreover, the control unit serves to control and give commands to the drive units for controlling the move of the main body. Also, the main body is equipped with the telescopic tube body in cooperation with the cleaning head set to work in a form simulating the conventional handheld vacuum cleaner. 
     Furthermore, the cleaning head set is further equipped with a detection module. The detection module serves to detect different materials of grounds to adjust the cleaning force of the cleaning head set. The cleaning head set includes a sucker unit and a nozzle unit. The sucker unit serves to execute vacuum cleaning mode, while the nozzle unit serves to execute mopping mode. According to the use requirement, a user can freely switch the cleaning head set between the sucker unit and the nozzle unit. 
     In addition, the multifunctional cleaning device further has a carrier unit correspondingly mounted on the main body. An article needing to be transferred can be placed on the carrier unit. By means of the drive units of the main body, the article can be moved and transferred to any desired place. Therefore, the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention has the advantages of the currently commercially available conventional vacuum cleaner, robot vacuum cleaner and robot mopping device as a combination thereof to greatly enhance the cleaning effect. Also, the multifunctional cleaning device has the additional function of moving and transferring the article. Accordingly, the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention is a multiuse cleaning device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a plane view showing the operation of the telescopic tube body of the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a plane view showing the operation of the telescopic tube body of the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a plane view showing that nozzle unit of the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention sprays a liquid; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention is used to transfer an article. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the multifunctional cleaning device of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the multifunctional cleaning device  2  of the present invention includes a main body  20 , a telescopic tube body  22 , a cleaning head set  23  and a control unit  24 . Multiple drive units  21  are mounted on one side of the main body  20 . In addition, the main body  20  has a detection unit  200  for detecting the cleaning range and path. The telescopic tube body  22  is telescopically connected with the main body  20  (as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) and positioned in parallel to a ground (not shown). The telescopic tube body  22  has a first end  220  and a second end  221 . The first end  220  is connected with one end of the main body  20  in communication with the main body  20 . The second end  221  is connected with the cleaning set  23  in communication therewith. The control unit  24  is correspondingly disposed in the main body  20  to execute system control and judge received signals so as to give commands to the drive units  21  for controlling the move of the main body  20 . 
     The main body  20  further has a drive motor  6  and a vacuum cleaning motor  5 . The drive units  21  are electrically connected with the drive motor  6 . The drive motor  6  provides necessary power for the drive units  21  to operate. The vacuum cleaning motor  5  provides necessary power for the multifunctional cleaning device  2  to suck the dust. 
     The cleaning head set  23  includes a sucker unit  230  and a nozzle unit  231 . The sucker unit  230  serves to execute vacuum cleaning mode, while the nozzle unit  231  serves to execute mopping mode. According to the use requirement, a user can selectively connect the sucker unit  230  or the nozzle unit  231  with the second end  221  of the telescopic tube body  22 . 
     The sucker unit  230  further has an opening  2300 . When the user connects the sucker unit  230  with the telescopic tube body  22  to execute vacuum cleaning mode, the dust and dirt are sucked into the opening  2300  of the sucker unit  230  to pass through the telescopic tube body  22  and then sucked into a dust collection unit  4  in the main body  20 . Accordingly, the dust and dirt can be collected in the dust collection unit  4 . 
     Please now refer to  FIG. 5 . In case the user desires to execute the mopping mode, the nozzle unit  231  is connected with the telescopic tube body  22 . In addition, the nozzle unit  231  is formed with at least one water outlet  2310 . A liquid reservoir  3  is disposed in the main body  20  for containing a liquid. The water outlet  2310  communicates with the liquid reservoir  3 . The control unit  24  serves to control the nozzle unit  231  to spray out the liquid (such as a detergent, tap water or a mixture of liquids). The telescopic tube body  22  can be reciprocally moved to mop (wipe) and dry the ground to achieve cleaning effect. 
     It should be noted that the cleaning head set  23  is further equipped with a detection module  25 . The detection module  25  serves to detect different materials of grounds (such as cement ground, wooden board ground, marble ground, ceramic tile, carpeted ground or rough ground) to adjust the sucking force and mopping force of the cleaning head set  23 . Accordingly, during the cleaning process, the ground is prevented from being damaged and a desired cleaning effect can be still achieved. 
     According to the above arrangement, by means of the structural design of the present invention, the main body  20  of the multifunctional cleaning device  2  has the detection unit  200  for detecting the cleaning range and path. Moreover, the control unit  24  serves to control and give commands to the drive units  21  for controlling the move of the main body  20 . Also, the main body  20  is equipped with the telescopic tube body  22  to clean up those places where the conventional robot vacuum cleaner can hardly clean up, (such as the corners and fissures). In addition, the cleaning head set  23  can be cooperatively used to work in a form simulating the conventional handheld vacuum cleaner. In other words, the multifunctional cleaning device  2  has the advantages of the currently commercially available conventional vacuum cleaner, robot vacuum cleaner and robot mopping device as a combination thereof to greatly enhance the cleaning effect. 
     In addition, further referring to  FIG. 6 , the multifunctional cleaning device  2  of the present invention further has a carrier unit  7  correspondingly mounted on the main body  20 . An article  8  needing to be transferred can be placed on the carrier unit  7 . By means of the drive units  21  of the main body  20 , the article  8  can be moved and transferred to any desired place. Therefore, the multifunctional cleaning device  2  also has the additional function of moving and transferring the article  8 . Accordingly, the multifunctional cleaning device  2  of the present invention is a multiuse cleaning device  2 . 
     In conclusion, in comparison with the conventional cleaning device, the present invention has the following advantages:
     1. The multifunctional cleaning device  2  is a multiuse cleaning device with multiple functions.   2. The multifunctional cleaning device  2  has greatly enhanced cleaning effect.   3. The multifunctional cleaning device  2  has both cleaning and mopping functions.   4. The multifunctional cleaning device  2  can adjust the cleaning force in accordance with different materials of the grounds.   

     The present invention has been described with the above embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in such as the form or layout pattern or practicing step of the above embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.