KR20090017183A - Connecting tube having dust sensing function for use in a vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A connection tube is provided to prevent noise generating when outer air inflows together in the air in a body by installing a muffler in inside the body. A connection tube for a vacuum cleaner having a dust sensing function comprises a suction nozzle(110) inhaling air including dust or dirt, a connection tube(120) including a dust sensor, an operating handle(130), a suction hose(140) connecting to the operating handle and a cleaner body(150), connecting to the suction hose, segmented into a dust chamber and a motor room. The dust sensor includes a light emitting area and light receiving area, and read existence and nonexistence of the dust or the dirt when the air passing through a second air suction passage.

Description

Connecting tube having dust sensing function for use in a vacuum cleaner}

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a connection tube for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function that can detect the presence or absence of dust on the surface to be cleaned during cleaning.

    In general, a vacuum cleaner generates a strong suction force by using a vacuum motor, and sucks dust or dirt on the surface to be cleaned to clean the surface to be cleaned. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner is very useful for cleaning the dirt on the surface to be cleaned such as carpet, floor, and the like.

   However, when the vacuum cleaner as described above cleans the cleaning area soiled with relatively large dust or relatively visible dirt, the user can easily recognize the presence or absence of dust on the surface to be cleaned, but when cleaning the cleaning area soiled with relatively fine dust, There is a problem that the user can not easily grasp the presence or absence of dust on the cleaning surface.

  In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-76120 is driven by a rotary vane and a rotary vane which are rotated by an external air sucked by an air suction input into the dirt suction path such as an extension pipe. An electric vacuum cleaner provided with a generator is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner is configured to notify the user of the presence or absence of dust in the suction nozzle or the dirt suction path in which the dirt sensor is installed by operating the dirt sensor by self-generating power through a generator driven by a rotary blade during cleaning. Therefore, the user can determine whether the dust to be cleaned or whether the cleaning is completed through the operation of the dirt sensor or the like when cleaning.

   However, such a vacuum cleaner is rotated by the external air sucked by the air suction input to the dirt suction path, the rotary blade driving the generator, so that when the rotary blade is rotated by the external air and the outside air and the air in the dirt suction path There is a problem that noise may occur when joined. This noise is a factor that degrades the quality of the cleaner.

   Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-76120 1999.3.23

   The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner with a dust detection function to automatically detect the presence or absence of dust on the surface to be cleaned during cleaning without generating a loud noise to inform the user To provide a connector for the dragon.

A vacuum cleaner connection pipe having a dust detection function for achieving the object of the present invention as described above, the tube having a first air suction passage for moving the suction air containing dust or dirt therein; A body connected to the tube and having a second air suction passage communicating with the first air suction passage; A detection sensor disposed on a second air suction passage of the body and detecting whether the dust or dirt passes through the second air suction passage; A lamp unit operating according to a signal from a detection sensor; A rotating part installed to rotate on the body; A rotation drive flow path unit installed in the body and rotating the rotating part by sucking air from the outside into the second air suction path by the air suction input in the second air suction path of the body; A generator connected to the rotating unit to rotate by the rotating unit and generating at least power for operating the sensing sensor and the lamp unit; And a muffler unit installed in the body and configured to reduce noise generated during rotation of the rotating unit and during air flow.

    Here, the tubular body may be a straight tube, a multistage tube, or a flexible tube.

   The body and the tubular body may be installed to be detachable to the suction nozzle and the operation handle or the operation handle and the cleaner body, respectively. To this end, it is preferable that the body and the tubular body include first and second connecting portions that are detachably connected to the suction nozzle and the operation handle, respectively.

    The sensor may be an optical sensor including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit.

    The lamp unit may include a first light emitting lamp operated by a first signal generated when the detection sensor detects dust or dirt, and a second light emitting lamp operated by a second signal generated when the detection sensor does not detect dirt. It may include.

   The rotating unit may be an impeller having a rotating shaft disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second air suction passage of the body.

   The rotary drive flow path portion is formed on a rotating portion mounting portion which is installed outside the body and mounts the rotating portion therein; A plurality of suction openings formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotating unit mounting unit and sucking external air, a rotating unit mounting space in which the rotating unit is mounted and the external air moves through the rotating unit, and a discharge pipe unit formed on one surface of the rotating unit mounting unit in communication with the second air suction passage; It is preferable to include.

   The muffler portion preferably includes a plurality of resonance holes formed in the body, and a sound absorbing material filled in the space between the cover and the body.

   Since the connection tube for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function according to the present invention includes a muffler portion inside the body, it is possible to effectively reduce noise generated when the rotating part rotates and when the outside air and the air in the body are joined. Therefore, there is an advantage that can automatically notify the user by detecting the presence of dust on the surface to be cleaned without generating a loud noise during cleaning.

   Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings it will be described in detail with respect to the connecting tube for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

   7 is a view illustrating an example of a vacuum cleaner 100 to which a connection pipe 120 for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

   Referring to FIG. 7, the vacuum cleaner 100 is provided with a dust detection function according to an embodiment of the present invention connected to a suction nozzle 110 and a suction nozzle 110 that suck air containing dust or dirt. The connection pipe 120, the operation handle 130, the suction hose 140 connected to the operation handle 130, and the suction hose 140 is connected to the dust chamber (not shown) and the motor chamber (not shown) And a cleaner body 150 separated from each other.

   1 is a perspective view showing a connection pipe 120 for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

   1 and 7, the connection pipe 120 is installed to be detachable between the suction nozzle 110 and the operation handle 130, the pipe body 111, and the dust detection unit 118 Include.

   The tubular body 111 is composed of a straight tube 113 of a cylindrical shape. The straight pipe 113 has a suction handle 110 in the suction nozzle 110, the suction air containing dust or dirt sucked through the suction nozzle 110 in communication with the suction nozzle 110 and the operation handle 130 therein ( A first air suction passage 124 moving toward 130).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the dust detection unit 118 includes a body 114, a detection sensor 125, a lamp unit 145, a rotation unit 135, a rotation driving flow unit 190, and a generator ( 155, and a cover unit 150.

  The body 114 accommodates and fixes the straight tube 113 at the top, and has a rectangular shape having a cylindrical second air suction passage 124 ′ communicating with the first air suction passage 124 of the straight tube 113. It consists of a tube of the form.

  The detection sensor 125 detects the presence or absence of dust or dirt in the suction air passing through when the suction air sucked by the suction nozzle 110 passes through the second air suction passage 124 'during cleaning. It is arranged at the beginning of the second air suction passage 124 '. The detection sensor 125 may be an optical sensor 126 having a light emitting unit 127 and a light receiving unit 128. In this case, the light emitter 127 is installed at one upper surface of the body 114 to generate light toward the second air suction passage 124 ′, and the light receiver 128 emits light from the light emitter 127 so as to generate light. It is disposed on the other upper surface of the body 114 to receive the light passing through the air suction passage (124 '). Accordingly, when there is dust or dirt in the air passing through the second air suction passage 124 ', the light sensor 126 blocks the light emitted from the light emitting unit 127 by the dust or dirt to provide an' off 'signal. When there is no dust or dirt in the air, the light emitted from the light emitting unit 127 is received by the light receiving unit 128 to generate an 'on' signal.

   The lamp unit 145 operates in accordance with a signal from the sensor 125 when cleaning, and is sucked by the suction nozzle 110 to the user, and the dust or dirt in the suction air passing through the second air suction passage 124 '. It is provided on the circuit board 147 by informing it of the presence or absence. The lamp unit 145 is the first light emitting lamp 148 that is operated by the 'off' signal generated when the detection sensor 125 detects dust or dirt, and when the detection sensor 125 does not detect dirt. The second light emitting lamp 149 operates by the generated 'on' signal. The first and second light emitting lamps 148 and 149 are formed of laser emitting diodes (LEDs) capable of emitting red light and blue light, respectively. The transparent plate 152 is provided on the upper cover 151 of the cover part 150 facing the first and second light emitting lamps 148 and 149.

   The rotating unit 135 generates a rotating force for rotating the coil unit (not shown) of the generator 155, and is configured of an impeller 136. 3 to 5, the impeller 136 has a rotating shaft 137 connected to the shaft of the generator 155 mounted on the generator mounting portion 163 of the generator bracket 160 formed separately from the body 114. Equipped. The rotary shaft 137 of the impeller 136 is disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction of the suction air flow direction of the second air suction passage 124 ', that is, the air suction passage 124'.

  The rotary drive flow passage 190 rotates the impeller 136 by sucking external air from the outside by the suction force of the vacuum motor of the vacuum cleaner, that is, the air suction input in the second air suction passage 124 '. It is formed in the rotating unit mounting portion 161 of 160.

   The rotary drive flow passage 190 has a plurality of suction openings 193 formed at predetermined intervals on the outer circumferential surface of the rotary part mounting portion 161, the impeller mounting space 194 in the rotary part mounting portion 161 on which the impeller 136 is mounted, and It is composed of a discharge pipe portion 196 disposed in communication with the air suction passage 124 'on the upper surface of the rotary part mounting portion 161. At this time, the discharge pipe portion 196 is formed in the shape of a letter so that the rotary shaft 137 of the impeller 136 is disposed in parallel to the suction air flow direction of the second air suction passage (124 ').

   The generator 155 generates electric power to operate the sensor 125 and the lamp unit 145, and a shaft is connected to the rotating shaft 137 of the impeller 136 to rotate by the impeller 136. The generator 155 is a well-known generator which has a coil part provided on the shaft between the N pole magnet and the S pole magnet, and the impeller 136 can generate a voltage of 15 V when rotating at, for example, about 4300 rpm. Can be configured. The coil unit of the generator 155 is connected to the circuit board 147 on which the lamp unit 145 is mounted to supply the generated electric power to the lamp unit 145 and the detection sensor 125. The lamp unit 145 and the detection sensor 125 are electrically connected to the circuit board 147. Optionally, in order to use the electric power generated by the generator 155 as a power source for the operation handle 130 or a power source for driving the circuit part, the circuit board 147 is a circuit part of the operation handle 130 by wires and connections not shown. It may be configured to be electrically connected with.

  The cover part 150 includes an upper cover 151 and a lower cover 153. The upper cover 151 is formed in a shape surrounding the entire component mounting area of the body 114, in which the components such as the sensor 125, the lamp unit 145, the rotating unit 135, the generator 155 is installed, the screw It is fixed to the body 114 by fixing means such as. A transparent plate 152 is disposed above the upper cover 151, and a plurality of air suction holes 151a are formed at the center of which the outside air is sucked by the air suction input in the second air suction passage 124 '. .

   The lower cover 153 is formed in a shape surrounding the non-mounting area of the body 114 in which the muffler part 131 to be described later is formed, and is fixed to the body 114 by fixing means such as a screw.

   Noise generated when the impeller 136 rotates and external air sucked through the air suction hole 151a are generated when the air in the second air suction passage 124 'joins the rotary drive flow passage 190. In order to reduce noise, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a muffler portion 131 is formed in the component non-installation region of the body 114. The muffler 131 is composed of a resonance hole 133 and a sound absorbing material 134 such as a sponge. The resonance hole 133 is formed in a predetermined shape and arrangement, for example, an elliptical lattice arrangement or a zigzag arrangement in the component non-installation region of the body 114. The sound absorbing material 134 is filled in a space isolated from the outside and the component mounting region by the partition wall and the lower cover 153 of the body 114 in the component non-installation region of the body 114. According to such a configuration, the second air suction passage is external air sucked through the rotary drive flow passage 190 by the noise generated when the impeller 136 rotates and the air suction input in the second air suction passage 124 '. Noise generated when joining the intake air in 124 ′ is first removed by the sound absorbing material 134 or the resonance hole 133, and then attenuated and eliminated by the second resonance hole 133 or the sound absorbing material 134. do.

   In order to fix the connection pipe 120 configured as described above to be detachably between the suction nozzle 110 and the operation handle 130, the lower end of the body 114 and the upper end of the straight tube 113, the first and second The connecting portions 115 and 119 are formed. The first connecting portion 115 is formed of a cylindrical tube having a diameter smaller than that of the first corresponding connecting portion 110a to be inserted into the first corresponding connecting portion 110a (see FIG. 7) of the suction nozzle 110. The first connecting portion 115 is formed with a first flexible protrusion 117 inserted into the first fixing groove 110a 'formed in the first corresponding connecting portion 110a when the first connecting portion 110a is connected. . The first flexible protrusion 117 is pressed by the first button 110a "of the first corresponding connection portion 110a when the first connection portion 115 is separated from the first corresponding connection portion 110a, thereby fixing the first fixed protrusion 117. The second connecting portion 119 is formed of a cylindrical tube having a diameter larger than that of the second corresponding connecting portion so as to receive a second corresponding connecting portion (not shown) of the operation handle 130. A second fixing groove 122 (see FIG. 1) into which the second flexible protrusion (not shown) formed in the second corresponding connecting portion is inserted into the second connecting portion 119 when the second connecting portion is connected; Pressing portion 121 'for elastically pressing down the second flexible protrusion inserted into the second fixing groove 122 to release the second flexible protrusion from the second fixing groove 122 when detaching from the corresponding connecting portion. A second button 121 having a reference to FIG. 3 is formed.

    In the above, the connection pipe 120 having a dust detection function according to the present invention has been illustrated and described as being applied to the connection pipe consisting of the tube 111 is a straight pipe 113, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the connection pipe 120 is the same configuration as the connection pipe formed of a multi-stage tube (not shown) that the tube body 111 can be folded telescopically, or the suction hose formed of a flexible hose or tube (not shown) Of course, it can be applied in principle. When the connection pipe 120 is applied to the suction hose, the suction hose is the first and second connection parts 115 and 119 and the first and second corresponding connection parts of the operation handle 130 and the cleaner body 150 (not shown). It is coupled to be detachable between the operation handle 130 and the cleaning base 150 through).

   The dust detection operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 having the connection pipe 120 having the dust detection function according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

   First, as shown in FIG. 7, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is operated while the suction nozzle 110 is in contact with the surface to be cleaned, the motor chamber of the cleaner body 150 may be cleaned. The vacuum motor (not shown) of the operation to generate a suction force, whereby the air is sucked through the air inlet (not shown) of the suction nozzle (110). The suction air sucked through the air suction port flows into the second air suction passage 124 'of the body 114 of the connection pipe 120 and the first air suction passage 124 of the straight pipe 113, and then the operation handle. It is moved to the cleaner body 150 through the 130 and the suction hose 140 is separated from the dust collection chamber is discharged to the outside.

  At this time, the impeller 136 of the rotary part 135 is the air suction hole 151a of the upper cover 151 from the outside by the suction force of the vacuum motor of the vacuum cleaner, that is, the air suction input in the second air suction passage 124 '. It rotates by the external air sucked through the suction opening 193 of the rotary drive flow passage 190. As a result, the generator 155 generates electric power by a coil part in which the shaft of the generator 155 connected to the rotary shaft 137 of the impeller 136 rotates and rotates together with the shaft of the generator 155. Power generated from the generator 155 is transmitted to the lamp unit 145 and the detection sensor 125 through the circuit board 147. As power is supplied to the detection sensor 125, the light emitting unit 127 of the optical sensor 126 of the detection sensor 125 emits light. Accordingly, when the dust or dirt passes between the light emitter 127 and the light receiver 128, the light sensor 126 may not receive the light emitted from the light receiver 128 by the dust or dirt. When the 'off' signal is generated and no dirt passes, the light receiving unit 128 receives the light to generate an 'on' signal. At this time, when the 'off' signal is generated from the optical sensor 26, the lamp unit 145 installed on the circuit board 147 'turns on' the first light emitting lamp 148 as shown in FIG. 6B to generate red light. When the 'ON' signal is generated, as shown in FIG. 6C, the second light emitting lamp 149 is 'ON' to generate blue light. As a result, the user can know whether there is much or little dust or dirt on the surface to be cleaned, depending on the time or frequency of occurrence of red or blue light.

    Thereafter, when the cleaning is completed and the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 is stopped, since the air does not move through the air suction passage 124 ', the impeller 136 of the rotating unit 135 does not rotate, and the generator 155 ) Does not generate power. As a result, the first and second light emitting lamps 148 and 149 of the lamp unit 145 are both 'off' as shown in FIG. 6A.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments for illustrating the principles of the invention, the invention is not limited to the construction and operation as shown and described. Rather, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, such appropriate changes and modifications and equivalents should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be applied to the connection tube of the vacuum cleaner such as a straight tube-shaped extension tube, a multi-stage tube-type extension tube or a flexible tube suction hose can be used to detect the presence of dust on the surface to be cleaned during cleaning to inform the user.

   1 is a perspective view showing a connector for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function according to an embodiment of the present invention,

   FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the connector taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, FIG.

   3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector shown in Figure 1, the upper cover is omitted,

   4 is a perspective view of a generator bracket of the connector shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

   5 is a perspective view of an impeller and a generator of the connector shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

   6A, 6B, and 6C are partial cross-sectional views illustrating the operation of a sensor and a lamp unit of the dust detection unit of the connector shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; and

   7 is a perspective view illustrating a vacuum cleaner to which a connection pipe with a dust detection function according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

100: vacuum cleaner 110: suction nozzle

111: tube 114: body

120: connector 118: dust detection unit

125: detection sensor 126: light sensor

130: operation handle 135: rotating part

136: impeller 145: lamp unit

148, 149: light emitting lamp 150: cover part

151, 153: cover 155: generator

190: rotary drive flow passage 193: suction opening

194: impeller mounting space 196: discharge pipe

Claims (8)

A pipe body having a first air suction passage for moving the suction air containing dust or dirt therein; A body connected to the tube and having a second air suction passage communicating with the first air suction passage; A detection sensor disposed on the second air suction passage of the body and detecting whether the dust or dirt passes through the second air suction passage; A lamp unit operating according to a signal from the detection sensor; A rotating part installed to rotate on the body; A rotation drive flow path unit installed in the body and configured to suck air from the outside into the second air suction path by an air suction input in the second air suction path of the body to rotate the rotating unit; A generator connected to the rotating unit to rotate by the rotating unit and generating power for operating at least the sensor and the lamp unit; And It is installed on the body, the muffler for reducing the noise generated during the rotation and rotation of the air flow; a connection pipe for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function comprising a.       The connecting tube for a vacuum cleaner with a dust detection function according to claim 1, wherein the tube includes one of a straight tube, a multistage tube, and a flexible tube.     According to claim 1, wherein the body and the tube is connected to the vacuum cleaner, characterized in that the suction nozzle and the operation handle, or the operation handle and the vacuum cleaner body detachably installed.     According to claim 1, wherein the sensor sensor is connected to the vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function, characterized in that it comprises an optical sensor having a light receiving unit and a light receiving unit.    According to claim 1, The lamp unit;    A first light emitting lamp operated by a first signal generated when the detection sensor detects dust or dirt; And    And a second light emitting lamp operated by a second signal generated when the sensor does not detect dirt.     The connecting pipe for a vacuum cleaner having a dust detection function according to claim 1, wherein the rotating part includes an impeller having a rotating shaft disposed parallel to a vertical axis of the second air suction passage of the body.     According to claim 1, The rotary drive flow path portion is provided on the outside of the body is provided in the rotating portion mounting portion for mounting the rotating portion therein; A plurality of suction openings formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotating unit mounting unit and sucking external air, a rotating unit mounting space in which the rotating unit is mounted, and the external air moves through the rotating unit, and the second air suction passage on one surface of the rotating unit mounting unit; Connection tube for vacuum cleaner with a dust detection function, characterized in that it comprises a discharge pipe portion formed in communication with.    The method of claim 1, wherein the muffler portion,    A plurality of resonance holes formed in the body; And     Connection tube for vacuum cleaner with a dust detection function comprising a sound absorbing material filled in the space between the cover and the body.

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