Patent Publication Number: US-2006000054-A1

Title: Vacuum cleaner suction port assembly and vacuum cleaner

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-50991 filed Jul. 1, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a suction port assembly of a vacuum cleaner through which contaminants of a surface being cleaned are drawn into the cleaner body.  
      Generally, a vacuum cleaner sucks in dust particles and contaminants of a surface being cleaned with a suction force generated by a vacuum source mounted inside the cleaner body. Vacuum sources usable in vacuum cleaners are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and a description of them is omitted for brevity.  
      The vacuum cleaner usually includes a cleaner body which houses a motor therein to generate suction force, a suction port assembly facing a surface being cleaned to draw in contaminants therefrom, and a fluid passage extended from the suction port assembly to guide drawn contaminants to the cleaner body. The extended fluid passage includes an extension pipe connector movably connected with the suction port assembly, an extension pipe connected with the extension pipe connector, and a suction hose connected with the extension pipe.  
       FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of a prior art conventional suction port assembly  2 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , the suction port assembly includes an upper housing  10  and a lower housing  11 . A suction port  14  is formed in the lower housing  11  to draw in contaminants from the surface being cleaned. The lower housing  11  is also provided with contaminant channels  12  at both laterally opposite sides S thereof, and therefore, contaminants can also be drawn into the vacuum source from both sides S of the suction port assembly  2  through the suction port  14 .  
      The suction port assembly  2 , however, generally has only one fluid passage to transfer the vacuum force for sucking in the contaminants. Accordingly, while suction force at the center C of the suction port  14  is strong, both sides S have relatively degraded suction force. In other words, cleaning efficiency is good at the center C of the suction port  14 , but cleaning efficiency degrades at the sides S of the suction port  14 . The cleaning efficiency is particularly low when cleaning a wide area.  
      An effort has been made to overcome this problem in the conventional art, and there has been a suggestion to form suction port at both sides of the suction port assembly. However, a suction port at both sides of the suction port assembly is accompanied with the problem of cleaning efficiency degradation at the center of the suction port assembly.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has been developed in order to solve the above drawbacks and other problems associated with the conventional arrangement. An aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved type of suction port assembly which can provide higher cleaning efficiency not only at the sides, but also at the center area, and a vacuum cleaner having the improved suction port assembly.  
      The above aspects and/or other features of the present invention can be substantially achieved by providing a suction port assembly, including, upper and a lower housings, a first and a second suction port formed on the lower housing, at least one upper opening pierced in the upper housing, allowing an external air to be drawn there through by the suction force of the first and the second suction ports, and at least one lower opening formed on the lower housing, the lower opening located between the first and the second suction ports and fluidly communicating with the upper opening such that the air drawn through the upper opening is guided to between the first and the second suction ports to scatter the dusts therefrom. Cleaning efficiency at the center of the suction port assembly increases. The vacuum cleaner efficiency also increases not only at both sides, but also at the center of the suction port assembly, can be provided.  
      According to one aspect of the present invention, the suction port assembly has an upper and a lower housing, and first and second suction ports formed in the lower housing. Additionally, the lower housing is provided with a first and a second dust channels connected with the first and the second suction ports, and lower openings at the first and the second dust channels, respectively. There are also upper openings formed in the upper housing, in fluid communication with the lower openings.  
      By the structure as described above, external air is drawn through the upper openings by the suction force at the suction ports, and drawn air is passed through the lower openings, scattering the dusts from the center part of the suction port assembly. The scattered dusts are moved through the first and the second dust channels, and drawn through the first and the second suction ports. As a result, cleaning efficiency of the suction port assembly increases not only at both sides, but also at the center.  
      When the dusts are drawn through the suction ports, the dusts are guided through the first and the second fluid passages formed in the upper and lower housings, and therefore, moved to the cleaner body. The fluid passage cover, forming the top of the first and the second fluid passages, may preferably be formed of a transparent material so that the user can observe the movement of the drawn air from outside, and therefore, relieved from the inconvenience of having to check the entire fluid passages of the vacuum cleaner when problem occurs in the fluid passages of the suction port assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above aspects and features of the present invention will be more apparent by describing certain embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of a prior art conventional suction port assembly for a vacuum cleaner;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a suction port assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of a suction port assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of a suction port assembly to explain operation thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Certain embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
      In the following description, same drawing reference numerals are used for the same elements even in different drawings. The matters defined in the description such as a detailed construction and elements are nothing but the ones provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out without those defined matters. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a suction port assembly  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an upper housing  211  forming an upper part of the suction port assembly  200 , and a lower housing  222  forming the lower part. The upper housing  211  includes a fluid passage cover  250  engaged with the lower housing  222 , and an upper cover  211  positioned above the fluid passage cover  250  and engaged with the lower housing  222 .  
      One or more upper openings  213  are pierced in the upper cover  212  such that an air passage way exists through the upper cover  212 , allowing external air to be drawn there through. The upper cover  212  is additionally provided with a cutaway part  214  formed in configuration corresponding to that of the fluid passage cover  250  so that the fluid passage cover  250  can be exposed to the outside of the suction port assembly  200 . Accordingly, the fluid passage cover  250  is protruded out through the cutaway part  214 . Although there are two upper openings  213  depicted in the figures that are formed as slits, the term “opening” should be construed to include one more openings of other shapes as well. For instance, one or more oval, circular, elliptical, square or rectangular holes may be perforated instead of the two shown in the figures. Any one or more passages through the upper cover  212  are all “openings.” Alternatively, a cover member may be mounted on the upper opening to selectively open only at the time of air suction.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , a dust channel  240  is formed on the bottom of the lower housing  222  in a stepwise configuration. The dust channel  240  is divided by a rib  246  formed on the bottom of the lower housing  222  between a first dust channel  242  operatively connected with the first suction port  226  and a second dust channel  244  operatively connected with the second suction port  228 . Two lower openings  235  are formed in the first dust channel  242  and the second dust channel  244  in near to the rib  246 , respectively. Alternate embodiments of the openings  235  include oval or triangular openings as well. The lower openings  235  may be formed in a variety of locations and configurations so long as they are operatively coupled to the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228 .  
      By the structure as described above, external air can flow through the upper openings  213  and be guided toward the bottom of the lower housing  222  through the lower openings  235 . As the external air is drawn in, dust between the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228  is scattered, and sucked into the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228  through the first and the second dust channels  242  and  244 . By this operation, dusts at both sides S of the suction port assembly  200  can be efficiently cleaned and cleaning efficiency at the center part C also increases. As a result, the vacuum cleaner can effectively clean even the wide cleaning area. The dotted arrows of  FIG. 3  indicate a passage through which the air from the upper openings  213  is flowed through the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228  via the lower openings  235 . Two pairs of spaced wheels  239  are mounted front and rear sides of the bottom of the lower housing  222 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , there are first and second fluid passages  230  and  232  in the lower housing  222 , fluidly communicating with the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228 . More specifically, the first and the second fluid passages  230  and  232  are spaces formed by the lower housing  222  defined by the bottom  222  and the fluid passage cover  250 . Accordingly, dusts scattered by the air from the upper and lower openings  213  and  235  are guided through the first and the second suction ports  226  and  238  to the first and the second fluid passages  230  and  232 , and moved to the cleaner body  100  ( FIG. 4 ). The lower housing  222  is provided at its rear end with a lower extension pipe connector mount  224  on which the lower side of an articulating coupler  118  of the extension pipe connector  116  is rotatably mounted. The lower housing  222  is additionally provided with a fluid passage cover mount  234  to which the fluid passage cover  250  is mounted.  
      The fluid passage cover  250  takes on substantially the arch configuration in vertical section with respect to the motion of drawn in air. The fluid passage cover  250  is preferably formed of transparent plastic material for the observance of the user. Accordingly, the user may timely notice problems such as dust blockage in the fluid passage. A flange  258  is extended along the boundary of the fluid passage cover  250 , which is pressed by the upper cover  212  during the engagement of the upper cover  212  with the lower housing  222 .  
      The assembling process of the suction port assembly  200  according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.  
      First, the articulating coupler  118  of the extension pipe connector  116  is inserted in the lower extension pipe connector mount  224  at the rear end or backside of the lower housing  222 . The fluid passage cover  250  is mounted on the fluid passage cover mount part formed on the lower housing  222 . Next, with the mounting of the fluid passage cover  250  to the lower housing  222 , the articulating coupler  118  of the extension pipe connector  116  is movably mounted on the upper and lower extension pipe connector mount  224  and  264 . The upper cover  212  is then attached to the lower housing  122  and the fluid passage cover  250 . The suction port assembly is finally assembled by the fastening members  236  such as screws, engaged through corresponding fastening holes  238  formed on the upper cover  212  and the lower housing  212 . Also, the upper cover  212  presses on the flange  258  of the fluid passage cover  250  such that the fluid passage cover  250  and the lower housing  222  can be airtight-engaged with each other.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , the vacuum cleaner according to one certain embodiment of the present invention includes a vacuum cleaner body  100  having a vacuum source mounted therein, a suction port assembly  200  as described above, for drawing in dusts from a surface being cleaned with the vacuum force generated from the vacuum source, and an extension fluid passage  110  extended from the suction port assembly  200  to guide the drawn in dusts toward the vacuum cleaner body  100 . The extension fluid passage  110  includes an extension pipe connector  116  having an articulating coupler  118  which is movably engaged with the suction port assembly  200 , an extension pipe  114  connected with the extension pipe connector  116 , and a suction hose  112  connected with one end to the extension pipe  114  and with other end to the vacuum cleaner body  100 .  
       FIG. 5  is the front view of the suction port assembly  200  as described above, with reference to which the operation of the suction port assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.  
      The operation of the suction port assembly  200  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  
      Suction force generated from the vacuum source of the vacuum cleaner body  100  is transferred to the suction port assembly  200  through the suction hose  112 , the extension pipe  114  and the extension pipe connector  116 . The suction force is then transferred to the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228  via the first and the second fluid passages  230  and  232 . Accordingly, as the suction force is transferred, dusts from the surface being cleaned are sucked in through the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228 . The suction force is also transferred to the first dust channel  242  ( FIG. 3 ) and the second dust channel  244  ( FIG. 3 ), and to the lower openings  235 . The suction force is then transferred through the space sealingly defined by the upper cover  212  and the lower housing  222 , and transferred to the lower openings  235 . Dusts between the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228  are scattered, and drawn in by the suction force through the first and the second dust channels  242  and  244  ( FIG. 3 ) to the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228 . The dusts drawn into the first and the second suction ports  226  and  228  are guided through the first and the second fluid passages  230  and  232 , and moved to the extension pipe connector  116 , the extension pipe  114 , the suction hose  112 , and into the vacuum cleaner body  100 .  
      Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the suction port assembly  200  described above will provide improved cleaning. Similarly, a vacuum cleaner having the same suction port assembly will provide improved cleaning. Because of the external air sucked in through the upper openings formed in the upper housing and through the lower openings formed in the lower housing, dusts between the first and the second suction ports can be scattered and removed. As a result, cleaning efficiency at center part of the suction port assembly can be improved. As a result, the cleaning efficiency even in the wide area can be improved.  
      Additionally, because the fluid passage cover  250  is formed of a transparent material, the user immediately notice problem such as dust blockage in the fluid passage from outside. The user is therefore relieved from the inconvenience of having to check the entire fluid passage of the vacuum cleaner when a blockage occurs in the fluid passage in the suction port assembly  200 .  
      The foregoing embodiment and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. Also, the description of the embodiments of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims, and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.