Patent Publication Number: US-2005125942-A1

Title: Suction head for vacuum cleaner

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a suction head for a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a suction head for a vacuum cleaner having a bedclothes dust brushing function for hitting bedclothes such as a carpet with one suction head to brush away impurities such as dust adhered thereto, and a general cleaning function for cleaning hard stuffs such as floor or parlor or room.  
      Generally, a vacuum cleaner includes a main body  1  including such as a motor for generating suction force, a suction head  2  for sucking such as dusts on the floor by means of the suction force from the main body  1 , and a flexible hose  3  and an extension pipe  4  for connecting the main body  1  and the suction head  2 , as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
      Thus, if a user manipulates a switch  6  installed to a handle  5  to operate the vacuum cleaner, the motor in the main body  1  is driven to conduct suction. Accordingly, dusts are sucked through a suction hole  2   a  formed on the bottom of the suction head  2  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and the sucked dusts are collected in a dust collector (not shown) in the main body  1  through the extension pipe  4  and the connection hose  3 .  
      When a user cleans the floor, such a general suction head  2  is generally used. However, this suction head  2  may be inconvenient for cleaning depending on a place to be cleaned. Thus, the suction head  2  is fabricated so as to be detachable from the extension pipe  4 , and a user may mount a different kind of suction head to suck dusts.  
      However, as shown in  FIG. 2 , in case of cleaning a stuff having flexible surface easily deformed such as sheet or curtain with the use of the vacuum cleaner equipped with the conventional suction head  2 , a part of a stuff L to be cleaned is frequently sucked into the suction hole  2   a  due to the suction force generated in the suction head  2 . In this case, a user should take off the stuff L sucked into the suction hole  2   a  of the suction head  2  by hand to continue the cleaning work. In addition, if the suction hole  2   a  of the suction head  2  is clogged by the stuff L, the vacuum motor is overloaded to cause a failure of the vacuum cleaner.  
      Meanwhile, a different kind of suction head may be made for cleaning stuffs made of fabric such as bedclothes, sheet and carpet. Such a suction head for cleaning fabric stuff may be provided with rollers rotating on the fabric stuff when the suction head moves on the fabric stuff.  
      There are many suction heads suitable for cleaning fabric stuffs. For example, GB 961, 455 discloses a vacuum cleaner having a carpet dust brushing function, wherein a cam is mounted to one side of a cylindrical cleaning roller with a plurality of brushes, a leaf spring with a boss associated with the cam when the roller is rotating is mounted, and an arm perpendicularly operating against the leaf spring is mounted so that the leaf spring makes the arm be ascended so as to brush away dusts adhered to the carpet when the cylindrical roller is rotated. However, this vacuum cleaner requires additional components such as motor and belt to drive the cylindrical roller, and these components are continuously operated while the vacuum cleaner is operating whether a user wants to do or not, thereby shortening the life of the vacuum cleaner.  
      Korean Patent Publication No. 2003-0005598 discloses a suction brush for a vacuum cleaner, which prevents bedclothes to be cleaned, such as sheet and curtain, from being sucked into a suction hole of the suction head during the cleaning operation, and at the same time brushes away dusts existing in a surface to be cleaned by hitting the surface. This suction brush has a plurality of blades, and a hitting member installed to the top of the suction hole and protruded a predetermined length from outer circumference of both ends of the turbine that is rotated by suction force of the motor in the main body of the vacuum cleaner so as to hit the stuff through the suction hole when the turbine is rotating.  
      However, this vacuum cleaner is designed for cleaning only carpet or bedclothes. Thus, when cleaning a hard place such as a floor, the hitting member protruded a predetermined length is continuously rotated to generate serious noise. In addition, since the turbine keeps operating when the motor in the cleaner body is driven, a user cannot selectively operate the turbine.  
      Meanwhile, Korean Patent Publication No. 2003-0044213 discloses a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner, wherein a cam member is connected to a rotary shaft connected by means of a belt to a turbine that always rotates when the motor for the vacuum cleaner is driven, and this cam member moves dust brushing protrusions of a shaking member up and down so as to brush away and suck dusts adhered to such as bedclothes. However, since the turbine is always operated when the vacuum cleaner is operating, the dust brushing protrusions generate noise when a user cleans floor of parlor or room and the user may not selectively operate the shaking member as desired, as mentioned above.  
      In addition, Korean Patent Application No. 2002-0073350, filed by the applicant of this invention, discloses a suction brush for a vacuum cleaner, wherein a plurality of cams are mounted to outer circumference of a rotary shaft that is rotated with receiving by a belt a rotation force of a turbine that is always operated by the sucked air when the vacuum cleaner is operating, and the cams instantly press protruded members down when the rotary shaft is rotating so that the protruded members press a stuff to be cleaned for brushing away dusts adhered to the stuff and prevent the stuff from being sucked into the suction hole of the suction head.  
      However, this vacuum cleaner requires a driving means such as belt and gear for transferring a rotating force of the turbine, increasing production costs. In addition, since the turbine is always operated when the vacuum cleaner is turned on, the protruded members cause noise when a user cleans floor of parlor or room, and the user may not selectively operate the protruded members as necessary.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is designed in consideration of such problems, and therefore an object of the invention is to provide a suction head for a vacuum cleaner, which prevents a stuff to be cleaned from being sucked into a suction hole when a user cleans a flexible stuff such as sheet, carpet and curtain, thereby facilitating easy cleaning.  
      Another object of the invention is to provide a suction head for a vacuum cleaner, which is designed for operating only when a user cleans bedclothes such as carpet and sheet, but not operating when the user cleans a hard stuff such as the floor of parlor or room.  
      Thus, the vacuum cleaner may easily suck dusts through the suction hole when cleaning the floor of parlor or room though a turbine is not rotated, while, when cleaning such bedclothes, the turbine is rotated to brush away and suck dusts adhered thereto, thereby enabling two cleaning modes with one cleaner.  
      In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a suction head for a vacuum cleaner, which includes a suction head main body including upper and lower cases combined in contact with each other, a connection member mounted to one side of the suction head main body and communicated with a main body of the vacuum cleaner, a suction hole formed in the lower case adjacent to the connection member, an air introduction hole formed in front of the suction hole so as to selectively operate a turbine and control a speed of the turbine, a turbine container and a plurality of sliding holes formed between the air introduction hole and the suction hole; a turbine having a plurality of blades and received in the turbine container so as to be rotated only when the air introduction hole is open; a plurality of hitting members slidably mounted to the sliding holes formed in the lower case of the suction head main body; and a pressing member extended from both ends of the turbine, the pressing member being rotated together with the turbine to press the hitting members in the sliding holes so that the hitting members hit a stuff to be cleaned.  
      The pressing member employed in the present invention is preferably a camshaft with a plurality of cams that press one end of the hitting members to hit the stuff to be cleaned.  
      In addition, each of the cams is preferably mounted on an outer circumference of the camshaft to press the hitting member two times per one rotation of the camshaft so that the hitting members hit the stuff to be cleaned at the same time.  
      Alternatively, the cams may be formed on an outer circumference of the camshaft at predetermined angles to press the corresponding hitting member one time per one rotation of the camshaft so that the hitting members hit the stuff to be cleaned subsequently. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view schematically showing configuration of a conventional vacuum cleaner;  
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view for illustrating operation of a suction brush of the conventional vacuum cleaner;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view schematically showing a vacuum cleaner equipped with a suction head according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing configuration of the suction head for a vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a bottom of the suction head shown in  FIG. 4  according to the present invention;  
       FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are sectional views showing operation states of a turbine employed in the vacuum cleaner shown in  FIG. 4  according to the present invention;  
       FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  are sectional views showing operation states of a dust brushing member; and  
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view showing configuration of a suction head for a vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a vacuum cleaner equipped with a suction head according to the present invention, in which the same reference numeral as shown in  FIG. 1  designates the same component and it is not described in detail here.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , the suction head according to the present invention includes a main body  20 , and the main body  20  includes upper and lower cases  21  and  22  combined in contact with each other. A connection member  430  communicated with the main body  1  of the vacuum cleaner is mounted to one side of the suction head, and a suction hole  121  is formed in the lower case  22  adjacent to the connection member  430 .  
      In addition, an air introduction hole  122  is formed in front of the suction hole  121  so as to selectively operate a turbine  30  and control a rotating speed of the turbine  30 , and a turbine container  123  and a plurality of sliding holes  124  are formed between the air introduction hole  122  and the suction hole  121 . As well understood from  FIG. 3 , the suction head main body  20  has a window  20   a  so that a user may observe whether a lot of dusts are adhered to the turbine  30 .  
      The turbine  30  employed in the present invention has a plurality of blades  31 , and it is received in the turbine container  123  to rotate only when the air introduction hole  122  is open. Though a turbine employed in the conventional vacuum cleaner is operated even when cleaning the floor of parlor or room, the turbine  30  is not operated when cleaning the floor of parlor or room, but dusts are sucked only through the suction hole  121 .  
      Meanwhile, in the sliding holes  124  of the lower case  22 , hitting members  40  each having a head  41  and a pillow  42  are slidably mounted, respectively. These hitting members  40  hit a stuff to be cleaned by means of a pressing member.  
      Here, the pressing member is extended from both ends of the turbine  30  and rotated together with the turbine  30  to press the hitting members  40  in the sliding holes  124  to hit the stuff to be cleaned.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , the pressing member is preferably configured with a camshaft  130  having a plurality of cams  131  that press one end of the hitting members  40  to hit the stuff to be cleaned.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 4, 7   a  and  7   b , the cams  131  are formed on the outer circumference of the camshaft  130  so as to press the corresponding hitting members  40  two times per one rotation of the camshaft  130  so that the hitting members  40  hit the stuff to be cleaned at the same time. Thus, two cams  131  are formed on the outer circumference of the camshaft  131 , so the hitting member  40  hits the stuff to be cleaned two times when the camshaft  131  rotates once.  
      In addition, a rotary shaft  133  is fixed in the camshaft  130 , and bearings  134  are axially installed at both ends of the rotary shaft  133 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , a wheel  140  and a support wheel  141  are mounted on a lower surface of the lower case  22  to facilitate movement of the suction head main body  20 , and when the motor in the vacuum cleaner main body is driving, dusts may be sucked through the suction hole  121 .  
      Now, operation of the suction head according to one embodiment of the present invention is described.  
      At first, if a user desires to clean bedclothes such as carpet or sheet, the user pushes up an introduced air control knob  125  in an arrow direction of  FIG. 6   a  so that the air introduction hole  122  is opened. Then, the user turns on a power switch  6  shown in  FIG. 3  to operate the vacuum cleaner. At this time, by means of the sucking force of the motor configured in the main body of the vacuum cleaner, air is introduced in through the suction hole  121 , and the air introduced through the air introduction hole  122  makes the turbine  70  rotating. In addition, if a stuff L such as carpet is cleaned with moving the suction head  20  on a surface thereof, dusts and impurities adhered to the stuff L are sucked into the suction hole  121  and the air introduction hole  122  together with air.  
      Meanwhile, the air introduced through the air introduction hole  122  is flowed to the turbine container  123  to rotate the turbine  30 . If the turbine  30  is rotated, the camshaft  130  is also rotated. Thus, by rotation of the camshaft  130 , the cams  131  provided on its outer circumference press the hitting members  40 .  
      If a pressing force is applied to the hitting members  40 , their pillars  142  are protruded down through the sliding holes  124  to push down the stuff L that tends to be sucked into the suction hole  121  as shown in  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b , thereby preventing the suction hole  121  from being clogged by the stuff L. At the same time, dusts and impurities adhered to the stuff are easily sucked through the suction holes  121  and  122  together with air. In order to increase a sucking force by the turbine  30 , it is required to control an opening degree of the introduced air control knob  125 .  
      As mentioned above, as the hitting members  40  hit the surface to be cleaned, dusts adhered to and included in the stuff L to be cleaned are exposed outside, and the exposed dusts are introduced into the vacuum cleaner through the suction holes  121  and  122  together with air.  
      As a result, the hitting members  40  improve the cleaning efficiency by hitting the stuff to be cleaned so that the stuff is not sucked into the vacuum cleaner through the suction hole  121  and dusts and impurities adhered to the stuff are floated.  
      Meanwhile, if a user desires to clean a place such as the floor of parlor or room, the user pushes down the introduced air control knob  125  as shown in  FIG. 6   b  so that the air introduction hole  122  is closed. Then, the user turns on the power switch  6  shown in  FIG. 3  to operate the vacuum cleaner. At this time, dusts and air may be sucked into the main body of the vacuum cleaner only through the suction hole  121  by means of the sucking force of the motor in the main body of the vacuum cleaner.  
      However, since the introduced air control knob  125  is closed, the turbine  30  is not rotated, and thus the hitting members  40  are not operated.  
      As mentioned above, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention may act as a bedclothes-dedicated cleaner that brushes away impurities such as dusts adhered to the bedclothes by opening the knob  125  so that the turbine is rotated and the hitting members  40  hit the bedclothes such as carpet, and a general cleaner that may clean a hard place such as the floor of parlor or room by closing the knob  125  so that the turbine is not rotated.  
       FIG. 8  shows a vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention. This vacuum cleaner is identical to that of  FIG. 4 , except that a plurality of cams are formed on an outer circumference of the camshaft  230  at predetermined angles to press the corresponding hitting members  40  one time per one rotation of the camshaft  230  so that the hitting members  40  hit the stuff to be cleaned subsequently. Thus, the same reference numeral as in  FIG. 4  designates the same component, not described in detail here.  
      As well known from  FIG. 8 , since a plurality of cams  231 ,  232 ,  233 ,  234 ,  235 , and  236  are formed on the camshaft  230  at substantially 90 degrees, the hitting members  40  are subsequently pressed by these cams when the camshaft  230  is rotating, thereby hitting the bedclothes subsequently to blow away dusts.  
      As described above, the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention very usefully has a bedclothes dust brushing function for brushing away impurities such as dusts adhered to the bedclothes such as carpet by hitting the bedclothes, and a general cleaner function for cleaning a hard place such as the floor of parlor or a room, just using only one suction head.  
      Though the present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the drawings but may be changed and modified in various ways within the scope defined in the following claims.  
      For example, an elastic member may be additionally provided for restoring the hitting members operated by the cams to their original positions, the number of cams formed on the outer circumference of the camshaft may be increased or decreased rather than the shown one, and the cam may be configured to make the hitting member hit several times when the camshaft rotates once.  
      In addition, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention may be a canister cleaner as shown in  FIG. 3 , but it may also be an upright vacuum cleaner or a small portable vacuum cleaner.