KR20230032841A - Cleaning apparatus with automatic electric charging and dust discharging - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic chargeable and dust-discharging cleaning apparatus. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning apparatus comprises a cordless vacuum cleaner and a docking station where the cordless vacuum cleaner is held. The cordless vacuum cleaner includes: a vacuum cleaner frame having a first motor, a charging port for charging a battery for starting the motor, and an exhaust port; a capturing unit releasably coupled to the vacuum cleaner frame and having a first opening for discharging captured contaminants; and a filter unit disposed in the capturing unit. The docking station includes: a joint unit disposed in a position corresponding to the first opening when the cordless vacuum cleaner is held, and having a second opening communicating with the first opening during a discharging operation; a collection unit communicating with the capturing unit through the second opening inside the joint unit, and collecting the contaminants captured in the capturing unit by suction; a charging unit fitted into the charging port when the capturing unit is held on the joint unit; and a second motor providing the collection unit with pressure for sucking the contaminants contained in the capturing unit. The first opening is formed on the rear side of the side wall of the capturing unit to expose the inner space of the capturing unit in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the filter unit of the cordless vacuum cleaner, and a cyclonic airflow is formed in the inner space of the filter unit and the capturing unit by starting the second motor, thereby moving the contaminants accommodated in the capturing unit to the collection unit by the cyclonic airflow to perform dust discharge. Accordingly, power charging and dust discharge can be performed.

Description

Cleaning apparatus with automatic electric charging and dust discharging}

The present invention relates to a household or industrial cleaning device, and more particularly, to a cleaning device capable of automatically charging power and emptying dust.

In general, a vacuum cleaner is used to keep the surrounding environment clean by sucking and collecting external contaminants such as dust or hair using the suction power of a motor. Such a vacuum cleaner sucks pollutants with a suction force generated by a built-in motor. At this time, power must be supplied to drive the motor. However, when a cable for power supply is connected to the cleaner, the cleaning radius is affected and cable management is cumbersome, so the market for wireless vacuum cleaners using batteries as a power source is expanding.

The wireless cleaner described above does not have a separate cable to supply power, and instead of having a charging terminal for supplying power to the battery, a docking station capable of holding and storing the wireless cleaner is provided so that the wireless cleaner can be charged together with the holder. . As a prior art related to this, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0126377 discloses a "cleaner charging stand".

However, the prior art is to perform simple mounting and charging, and in order to discharge the pollutants collected therein after use, the wireless cleaner is separated from the cleaner charging stand, and the pollutants inside the dust bin in which the user directly collects the pollutants In this way, the user directly separates and opens the cleaner to remove pollutants collected therein, which is cumbersome and difficult to disassemble and reassemble.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0126377 "cleaner charging base"

The present invention is to solve the above problems, and docks a used wireless cleaner to a docking station and automatically charges and discharges pollutants collected by the cleaner to the docking station to remove pollutants, thereby improving usability and An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device capable of automatically charging power and emptying dust, which improves functionality such as hygiene and does not require dust removal in a separate wireless cleaner.

In addition, since the gate of the dust bin is not normally open, contaminants can be easily collected inside the collecting unit, and when the cleaner is docked in the docking station, the first gate is automatically opened and the collected pollutants are automatically moved to the collecting unit. And to provide a cleaning device capable of automatically charging power and emptying dust so that it can be collected.

In addition, docking and sterilization of external contaminants introduced into the collection unit and collection unit are performed at the same time to prevent the propagation of bacteria inside, and a cleaning device capable of automatically charging power and emptying dust can collect pollutants in a sanitary manner. Its purpose is to provide

The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

A cleaning device capable of automatically charging power and emptying dust according to an embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a wireless cleaner and a docking station for holding the wireless cleaner. The wireless cleaner includes a cleaner frame having a first motor, a charging port for charging a battery for starting the motor, and an exhaust port; a collecting unit releasably coupled to the cleaner frame and having a first gate including an opening for discharging collected contaminants and a gate cap for opening and closing the opening; And it may include a filter unit disposed inside the collecting unit. The docking station includes a coupling unit having a second gate disposed at a position corresponding to the first gate when the wireless cleaner is mounted and communicating with the first gate during the emptying operation; a collection unit communicating with the collection unit through the second gate inside the coupling unit and suctioning and collecting pollutants collected in the collection unit; a charging unit coupled to the charging port when the collecting unit is mounted on the coupling unit; and a second motor providing suction pressure to the collection unit for the contaminants accommodated in the collection unit.

In one embodiment, the opening of the first gate exposes the inner space of the collecting unit in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the filter unit of the wireless cleaner, and the contamination received in the collecting unit by the activation of the second motor Dust emptying may be performed in which material moves to the collector. The inner space of the collecting unit includes a side cavity defined between the filter unit and the side cavity may be exposed through the opening.

In one embodiment, the second gate may be located on the same vertical line as the first gate when the collecting part is mounted inside the coupling part. In addition, the first gate may be provided on the rear side of the lower surface of the collecting unit. A lower surface of the collecting unit may include a hinge coupled to one end of the gate cap to rotate the gate cap to open and close the first gate.

The filter unit has a cylindrical shape, an external filter formed along an outer circumferential surface formed with a tapered surface having a cross-sectional width decreasing toward the rear side and defining an internal space; and an inner filter disposed in the inner space of the outer filter, capable of purifying fine dust, and provided with a handle at a lower end for taking it out.

A rear surface of the filter unit and an inner rear surface of the collecting unit may be spaced apart from each other to form a rear cavity therein, and a rear protruding width of the filter unit may have a size of 0 to 90% of a width of the first gate. In one embodiment, plate-shaped pressing plates corresponding to the height of the collection bag may be provided on the front and rear sides of the collection bag, respectively. When the wireless cleaner is separated from the docking station, the pressing plate may move toward the collection bag and press the collection bag.

The docking station includes a notification module that outputs a notification to the outside, and a first detection unit for detecting the amount of pollutants collected inside the collection bag is provided inside the lower end of the collection pipe, and the first detection unit detects When the amount of contaminants in the collection bag exceeds a predetermined amount, a notification may be output to the outside through the notification module.

The docking station may further include an ultraviolet sterilization lamp, an ultraviolet sterilization LED, a sterilization device by high heat, or a sterilization device by spraying chemicals. In addition, the second motor may be turned on/off or repeatedly increase/decrease the rotational speed for a predetermined period of time to vary suction power during startup.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a used wireless cleaner may be docked and placed on a docking station, at least automatically supplying and charging power to a battery of the wireless cleaner, and pollutants collected by the wireless cleaner may be charged. By withdrawing materials to the docking station to remove internal contaminants, usability and functionality may be improved, and a cleaning device in which a user directly disassembles the collecting part of the wireless cleaner to remove contaminants may be provided without any hassle.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the first gate is not normally open, contaminants can be collected into the collecting unit without leakage, and the first gate is automatically opened when docking or when an internal motor is operated. The stored contaminants can be automatically moved to and collected in the collection unit.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the filter unit and the inside of the collecting unit are spaced apart from each other, in particular, the rear end of the filter unit is spaced apart from the inner rear surface of the collecting unit, so that a rear cavity is secured in the collecting unit, and the rear end of the filter unit and the collecting unit are separated from each other. The location of the first gate of the unit can provide a cleaning device capable of effectively discharging pollutants through the first gate without the pollutants condensed in the collecting unit remaining wrapped around the filter unit.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, external contaminants introduced into the collecting unit and the collecting unit are sterilized while the wireless cleaner is placed, thereby preventing bacteria from propagating inside the cleaning device including the collecting unit and the collecting unit. And, a cleaning device that hygienically collects contaminants may be provided.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

1A and 1B are front perspective views and rear perspective views of a cleaning device capable of automatically charging power and emptying dust, respectively, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2a and 2b are a side view and a perspective view of a wireless cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively.
3 is a perspective view of a docking station according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 shows a collecting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 shows an example of opening and closing the first gate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is an exploded perspective view of a collecting unit and a filter unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7A-7C are cross-sectional side views of a docking station according to various embodiments of the present invention.
8A and 8B are power diagrams for explaining a method of driving a docking station according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
9 is a plan view of a docking station according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating air flow during a dust discharge operation of a docking station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Since the present invention can make various changes and have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail.

However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. Like reference numerals have been used for like elements throughout the description of each figure.

It is understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected or connected to the other element, but other elements may exist in the middle. It should be. On the other hand, when an element is referred to as “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another element, it should be understood that no other element exists in the middle.

Terms used in this application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, the terms "include" or "have" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features It should be understood that the presence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not precluded.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to drawings schematically showing ideal embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings, for example, the size and shape of members may be exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation, and deformations of the illustrated shapes may be expected in actual implementation. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the specific shapes of members or regions shown herein.

In the following embodiments, words referring to directions, for example, words such as bottom, back, bottom, front, etc., are applied to the cleaning device 1 in a state in which the cleaning device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is standing on the ground. ) is taken as the front surface.

1A and 1B are respectively a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of a cleaning device 1 capable of automatically charging power and emptying dust according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A and 2B are respectively an embodiment of the present invention. A side view and a perspective view of the wireless cleaner 100 according to , and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the docking station 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B together with FIGS. 1A and 1B , a cleaning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a wireless cleaner 100 and a docking station 200 . When cleaning by the wireless cleaner is completed, the user docks the wireless cleaner 100 to the docking station, and at the same time, the docking station 200 at least automatically charges the battery of the wireless cleaner 100, and the wireless cleaner 100 Contaminants collected by the method may be drawn out toward the docking station 200 to remove the contaminants.

In the wireless cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a motor is provided therein to suck and collect external pollutants into the collecting unit, and pollutants are removed from outside air sucked in together with pollutants through a filter. It can be discharged to the outside while being, and the wireless cleaner of the present invention is not limited thereto.

The wireless cleaner 100 may be a vacuum cleaner, and as a non-limiting example, includes a cleaner frame 101 having a first motor disposed thereon, and a user grips and moves the cleaner frame 101 on the cleaner frame 101. A handle 102 is provided. In addition, at least one manipulation button (not shown) capable of controlling the operation of the wireless cleaner 100 may be provided on the upper or rear side of the cleaner frame 101, which is easily accessible to the user's eyes or fingers.

In one embodiment, the charging port 104 is disposed on the back of the cleaner frame 101, and the charging port 104 is the upper side of the docking station 200 when the wireless cleaner 100 is mounted on the docking station 200. While being in close contact with the charging unit 230 provided on the front side, the electrode of the charging port 104 and the electrode of the charging unit 230 are electrically connected to each other, and power is supplied from the docking station 200, so that the wireless cleaner 100 The battery can be automatically charged.

In one embodiment, the charging port 104 has an outlet or pogo pin shape protruding to the outside, and a charging terminal 231 to which the charging port 104 is inserted and electrically connected may be included in the charging unit 230 . In another embodiment, the charging terminal 231 of the charging unit 230 may have a shape of an outlet or a pogo pin, and the charging port 104 may have a shape capable of intercalating the outlet or a pogo pin, and the present invention is limited thereto. It is not, and the charging port 104 and the charging unit 230 may have a flat electrode shape or may have a configuration for wireless charging rather than physical contact, and various known technologies may be referred to in this regard.

An exhaust port 103 protrudes downward in a cylindrical shape as a non-limiting example on the lower front side of the cleaner frame 101 and has a plurality of exhaust holes 103a formed on the front side. The exhaust port 103 is provided with a collecting unit 120 on the rear side, and the front side of the collecting unit 120 and the rear side of the exhaust port 103 are closely coupled and fastened so that the exhaust port 103 and the collecting unit 120 can be coupled or separated. 4, external contaminants sucked into the collecting unit 120 in communication with the inside of the filter unit (130 in FIG. 4) in the collecting unit 120, which will be described later with reference to FIG. The air that is built into the collection unit 120 and sucked in together with pollutants can be discharged through the filter unit 130 to the exhaust hole 103a located on the front side of the exhaust port 103 .

The exhaust port 103 is provided on the front side of the lower surface of the collecting part 120 connected by the first motor disposed on the cleaner frame 101, and is interpolated and coupled to the suction part coupler 121 protruding downward. External contaminants sucked along the suction part 110 by generating a suction force toward the (110) side are moved together with the air to the collecting part 120, and external substances including large-particle dust are transferred to the collecting part 120. The external air that remains and is sucked in through the inlet 110 may be discharged through the exhaust hole 103a. The air in the collecting unit 120 by the suction force forms an air stream rotating by a cyclone, so that the air can be separated from contaminants such as dust.

The suction part 110 is inserted and coupled to the lower surface of the collecting part 120 to maintain a fixed state, and has a tubular shape extending to the ground, so that the lower end of the vacuum cleaner frame 101 is in contact with the ground by the suction force of the first motor. Contaminants and external air are sucked together from the air intake, and the contaminants are collected in the collecting unit 120 by moving them to the collecting unit 120 connected to the upper end. The collecting unit 120 is provided on the rear side of the exhaust port 103 and may have a cylindrical shape. The docking station 200 may include a coupling part 210 for supporting the collecting part 120 by interviewing a part of the lower surface of the cylindrical collecting part 120 .

Figure 4 shows a collection unit 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 shows an example of opening and closing of the first gate 122 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 is a It is an exploded perspective view of the collecting unit 120 and the filter unit 130 according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, a suction part coupler 121 that can be coupled to the above-described suction part 110 may be formed on the front side of the lower surface of the collecting part 120. In another embodiment, , The suction part 110 may be separated from the collecting part 120 and independently coupled to the cleaner frame 101. In this case, the suction part 110 is individually coupled to the cleaner frame 101 so as to be coupled to the cleaner frame ( 101) may be provided with the same configuration as the suction part coupler 121, and the suction part 110 and the collecting part 120 may communicate with each other through an internal flow path of the cleaner frame 101.

The front side of the collecting unit 120 is coupled to the rear side of the exhaust port 103, and the external air introduced through the intake unit 110 introduced into the collecting unit 120 must pass through the filter unit 130 to the exhaust port 103. so that it can be moved to The first motor described above is provided on the path of the filter unit 130 and the exhaust port 103 .

In one embodiment, the rear opening 124 is provided on the rear side of the collecting unit 120 so that the user opens the rear opening 124 by manpower when the user directly wants to clean the inside of the collecting unit 120. or to be closed. The rear opening 124 may have a shape corresponding to that of the rear surface of the collecting unit 120 . The rear opening 124 may cover and close the open rear surface of the collecting unit 120 . When the rear opening 124 is opened, the inside of the collecting unit 120 may be opened in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the filter unit 130 . Reference numeral LC denotes an extension axis of the filter unit 130 and, at the same time, an extension axis of the collecting unit 120 . The collecting unit 120 may have a cylindrical shape having a circular cross section in a direction perpendicular to the extension axis LC, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may have a non-circular rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the extension axis ( The cross-sectional area based on the outermost line may vary along the LC). The collecting unit 120 may be aligned in a horizontal direction with the ground when the wireless cleaner 100 is upright, and FIG. 4 illustrates a case in which the collecting unit 120 is aligned in a horizontal direction with the ground.

In one embodiment, the rear opening 124 is provided with an edge portion, for example, a hinge connected to the upper rear end of the collecting unit 120 at the upper end, and is coupled to the lower rear rear end of the collecting unit 120 at the lower end to A locking jaw 124b is additionally provided so that the opening 124 is not automatically opened by a simple external force, and the lower end of the rear opening 124 is caught on the inside of the locking jaw to close the rear surface of the collecting part 120. can In another embodiment, a latch such as a locking jaw may be provided at the upper end of the rear opening 124 and a hinge may be provided at the lower end of the rear opening 124, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, the suction part coupling part 121 is recessed inward in a shape corresponding to the upper end of the suction part 110 so that the upper part of the suction part 110 is inside the suction part coupling hole 121 of the collecting part 120. Then, when the user cleans the collecting part 120, etc., the user pulls the top of the suction part 110 out of the suction part coupling hole 121 to separate it. . In another embodiment, the suction part coupling part 121 may be integrated with the cleaner frame 101 as described above and may be a separate component from the collecting part 120, in which case the suction part 110 flows along. Air may be introduced into the suction unit 110 after passing through the suction unit coupling part formed in the cleaner frame 101 and passing through a flow path in the cleaner frame.

The second gate 221 of the docking station 200 formed on the coupling portion 210 when the wireless cleaner 100 is inserted into and mounted on the inside of the coupling portion 210 in the docking station 200 on the lower surface side of the collecting unit 120 The first gate 122 of the collecting unit 120 may be provided at a position corresponding to . The first gate 122 of the collecting unit 120 may include an opening 122 and a gate cap 122a capable of opening and closing the opening 122 . In one embodiment, the gate cap 122a has a shape corresponding to the opening 122 and is formed larger than the open area of the opening 122, so that the gate cap 122a completely blocks the opening 122. make it possible

The opening 122 covers the inner space of the collecting part 120, that is, the side cavity 123a and the rear cavity 123b in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction LC of the filter unit 130 of the wireless cleaner 100. It is formed in an exposed position. During the dust emptying operation by the doping station 200, suction pressure is generated in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction LC of the filter unit 130, and the rear side of the collecting unit 120 near the end of the filter unit 130. As described below, when dust is sucked by the docking station 200, outside air coming through the suction part 110 and outside air coming through the first motor are discharged through the opening 122. In the process, a cyclone airflow CF as indicated by an arrow may be induced in the side cavity 123a defined between the side outer circumferential surface 130S of the filter unit 130 and the inner sidewall of the collecting unit. The effect of cleaning the inside of the collecting unit 120 and removing dust from the surface of the filter unit 130 is maximized by the cyclone airflow (CF), dust is collected on the rear side of the collecting unit 120, and long contaminants such as hair are removed from the filter. Even if it is caught on the side outer circumferential surface (130S) of the portion 130, it becomes an air flow that can remove it. This will be described later in detail.

At one side of the gate cap 122a, a hinge coupled to the outer lower surface of the collecting part 120 and capable of rotating the gate cap 122a is provided. In one embodiment, the hinge may include an elastic member 122s. The elastic member 122s may be a pin spring coupled to the hinge, and when a force for opening the gate cap 122a is applied, the elastic member 122s accumulates elastic energy, and when the force is removed, the elastic member 122s The member 122s may close the opening 122 by rotating the gate cap 122a while discharging the stored elastic energy. In one embodiment, the gate cap 122a is not unlocked by the contaminants received in the collecting unit 120 by the elastic member 122a, and the gate cap 122a is located above the second gate 221 , When the second motor (refer to M in FIG. 7A ) of the docking station 200 is driven, the second gate 221 may be automatically opened by a suction force when the surroundings are in a negative pressure state. Thereafter, when the second motor M stops, the negative pressure of the second gate 221 is released, and the opened gate cap 122a automatically rotates to close the first gate 122 .

A filter unit 130 is provided inside the collecting unit 120, and pollutants sucked through the connected suction unit 110 are collected inside the collecting unit 120, and only the inhaled air from which the pollutants are removed is collected. It moves to the side of the exhaust port 103 so that it can be discharged. At this time, as described above, the side cavity 123a between the filter unit 130 and the collecting unit 120 is formed between the outer side of the filter unit 130 built in the collecting unit 120 and the inner surface of the collecting unit 120. It is limited by the gap, and the air sucked through the suction part 110 forms a cyclone airflow CF while rotating along the side outer surface 130S of the filter part 130 in the side cavity 123a, and contaminants are removed. While rotating along the cyclone airflow (CF), it moves to the rear side of the collecting unit 120, or to the rear cavity 123b formed in the spaced apart space between the rear side of the filter unit 130 and the rear side of the collecting unit 120, and gathers the first may be released through the gate 122 .

Unlike the collecting unit 120 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the conventional collecting part is in close contact with the inner rear surface of the dust bin corresponding to the collecting part 120 and the end of the filter inserted into the dust bin, or For replacement, the end of the filter passes through the inner rear surface of the dust bin and is exposed to the outside, so that even if the rear cavity 123b according to the embodiment of the present invention does not exist or exists, the dust storage space of the present invention The side cavity and the rear cavity corresponding to the embodiment are isolated from each other by the filter unit. In the case of the dust bin according to the prior art, when the collected dust generated by the cyclone moves to the rear side, long contaminants such as hair among external contaminants are caught at the end of the filter by being wound by the cyclone airflow and entangled. . In this case, even if the dust emptying operation is performed in the docking station that is connected to the dust bin and sucks in the collected dust, there is a problem in that hair entangled in the docking station or dust tangled in hair cannot be easily discharged or the dust suction ability is reduced. there is.

However, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the filter part 130 and the inside of the collecting part 120 are spaced apart from each other, in particular, the rear end of the filter part 130 is spaced apart from the inner rear surface of the collecting part 120, The rear cavity 123b connected to the side cavity 123a is secured, and the external air sucked into the collecting unit 120 rotates in a cyclone method (CF) to move to the rear cavity 123b when moving to the rear of the collecting unit 120. Contaminants that have been collected are collected, and foreign substances such as hair move smoothly toward the rear cavity 123b without being caught or wrapped around the side surface 130S of the filter unit 130, and when dust is discharged by the docking station 200, the dust is caught. Contaminants easily move toward the first and second gates 122 and 221 without any phenomenon.

Therefore, the air and contaminants sucked into the collecting unit 120 are cyclonized, rotate inside the side cavity 123a, then move or collect to the rear cavity 123b, and the contaminants that have moved to the rear cavity 123b are transferred to the filter unit. (130) Contaminants may aggregate with each other without being caught on the outside or inside the collecting unit 120. Thereafter, the aggregated contaminants are collected in the collecting unit 120 while the first and second gates 122 and 221 are opened and communicated with each other in a state in which the wireless cleaner 100 is docked to the docking station 200. It is moved to the side of the docking station 200 by the cyclone airflow (CF) so that pollutants can be automatically collected.

Referring to FIG. 4 together with FIG. 6 , in one embodiment, the filter unit 130 is built into the collecting unit 120 and external air and contaminants introduced into the collecting unit 120 through the suction unit 110 It filters heavy pollutants and selectively and easily discharges only the sucked air to the outside so that the wireless cleaner 100 can continuously suck pollutants without reducing suction power. This filter unit 130 may have a cylindrical shape. In one embodiment, the filter unit 130 may have a tapered shape in which a cross section gradually narrows toward the rear side. The tapered shape promotes the movement or condensation of contaminants such as dust in the rear cavity 123b of the collecting unit 120 by the cyclone, and the rear side of the cyclone airflow CF going to the rear cavity 123b by the tapered shape. Long contaminants such as hair may be prevented from being caught on the filter unit 130 by the airflow.

The filter unit 130 is provided on the outside, is coupled in close contact with the rear surface of the exhaust port 103, has an internal space, and has an external filter 131 for primary air purification and the internal space of the external filter 131. By being inserted and disposed, it may include an internal filter 132 for secondarily purifying the primarily purified air introduced into the inside through the external filter 131 and discharging it toward the exhaust port 103 and the exhaust hole 103a. .

In one embodiment, the external filter 131 may include a plurality of fine holes formed along the outer circumferential surface 130S. The internal filter 132 may be a fine filter such as a HEPA filter. In one embodiment, the external filter 131 may have a tapered surface in which the outer diameter of the cross section gradually narrows toward the rear side. During the cleaning operation by the wireless cleaner 100, the sucked air and contaminants rotating in the side cavity 123a move toward the rear cavity 123b along the inclination of the tapered surface formed on the outer circumferential surface of the external filter 131 At the same time, the pollutants are moved to the inside of the external filter 131. At this time, the contaminants have large particles and cannot penetrate the inside of the external filter 131, but move to the rear cavity 123b, and only the sucked air passes through the external filter 131. can be introduced into the

In one embodiment, the front side of the external filter 131 is connected to the rear side of the exhaust port 103 in close contact with the rear side of the exhaust port 103 so that internal air can be moved to the exhaust port 103 . An internal filter 132 is provided inside the external filter 131 so that air introduced into the external filter 131 can be moved to the exhaust port 103 via the internal filter 132 .

In one embodiment, the internal filter 132 and the external filter 131 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval to secure a distance between air flows. In one embodiment, the front of the inner filter 132 is opened so that air introduced from the outside to the inside of the inner filter 132 can be moved to the exhaust port 103 . At this time, in terms of the particle size through which the air sucked into the collecting unit 120 can pass, the internal filter 132 can filter particles smaller than the external filter 131, so that the external filter 131 Even fine-sized contaminants that pass through and flow into the inside are filtered by the internal filter 132 and prevented from being discharged out of the exhaust port 103.

In one embodiment, the inner filter 132 may separate the inner filter 132 from the outer filter 131 after the user opens the rear opening 124 of the collector 120, and in some embodiments A handle portion 132p may be provided at a lower end of the inner filter 132 for a user to easily take out the inner filter 132 from the outer filter 131 .

In one embodiment, the first gate 122 is disposed on the lower surface of the collecting unit 120, and contaminants collected and aggregated in the rear cavity 123b pass through the first gate 122 to the second gate of the docking station 200. (221). Depending on the location of the first gate 122 and the width of the rear cavity 123b, there is a difference in the ability to absorb contaminants to the first and second gates 122 and 221, and when long contaminants such as hair are caught in the filter unit 130, they are removed. Differences in effect may occur.

First, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of the region of the rear cavity 123b is exposed in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction LC of the filter unit 130 by the first gate 122 . For example, when the rear end of the filter unit 130 protrudes excessively, the width of the rear cavity 123b becomes narrow, making it difficult for contaminants to sufficiently collect and aggregate toward the rear cavity 123b, and then the wireless cleaner 100 When the first and second gates 122 and 221 are opened when the gates 122 and 221 are docked to the docking station 200, contaminants may be caught on the rear side of the filter unit 130, making it difficult to sufficiently move toward the docking station 200. In addition, when long contaminants, such as hair, are wound around the filter unit 130, it may be difficult to remove the contaminants in a wound state even when the first and second gates 122 and 221 are opened.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the rear cavity ( 123b) facilitates the movement and aggregation of contaminants, and facilitates the contaminants collected in the wireless cleaner 100 toward the first and second gates 122 and 221 during dust emptying by the docking station 200. It can be moved to increase the discharge efficiency. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , the width w1 of the rear protrusion along the extension direction LC of the filter unit 130 may be smaller than the width w2 of the first gate 122 . Preferably, the rear protrusion width w1 of the filter unit 130 preferably has a size of 0 or more and 90% or less of the width w2 of the first gate 122 . At this time, the rear side protruding width w1 of the filter unit 130 is the size in the rear side direction with the rear portion located on a vertical line with the front side end of the first gate 122 of the filter unit 130 as a starting point. is defined More preferably, the width w1 of the rear protrusion of the filter unit 130 is greater than 0 and less than 80% of the width w2 of the first gate 122 . As the rear protrusion of the filter unit 130 protrudes further toward the rear side than the front end of the first gate 122, a cyclone is generated in the cavities 123a and 123b of the collecting unit 120 during the dust discharge operation of the docking station 200. Airflow (CF) can be maximized. As a result, the air and pollutants sucked into the collecting unit 120 rotate along the inside of the side cavity 123a and move along the tapered surface formed on the outer circumferential surface 130S of the side of the filter unit 130, through which the rear cavity ( Contaminants moved to 123b) may be efficiently discharged toward the docking station 200 through the first gate 122 .

7A to 7C are side cross-sectional views of the docking station 200 according to various embodiments of the present invention, and FIGS. 8A and 8B are for explaining a driving method of the docking station 200 according to various embodiments of the present invention. power diagrams for 9 is a plan view of the docking station 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing air flow of the docking station 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention during a dust discharge operation. am.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B , the docking station 200 is combined with the wireless cleaner 100 to hold the wireless cleaner 100, charge the battery of the wireless cleaner 100, and charge the battery of the wireless cleaner 100. Contaminants condensed in the collection unit can be collected. The docking station 200 stands on the ground, and the collecting unit 120 of the wireless cleaner 100 is seated on the upper side so that the wireless cleaner 100 can be mounted on the docking station 200 at the same time.

A second motor M is provided in the docking station 200, and the first gate 122 of the docked cordless cleaner 100 is opened by negative pressure generated through the activation of the second motor M, and the open Contaminants inside the collecting unit 120 may be sucked toward the second gate 221 through the first gate 122 .

The second motor M is driven simultaneously when the wireless cleaner 100 is docked to the docking station 200 to collect pollutants, and as shown in FIG. It can be manually controlled by operating the operation buttons of the provided operation unit 270 . The second motor (M) is built into the lower side of the docking station 200 and is connected to the collection tube 222, so that when the second motor (M) is driven, as shown in FIG. 10, along the direction of the arrow, outside air While the air is introduced through the suction part 110 and/or the exhaust port 103 of the wireless cleaner 100, the air is discharged through the collecting part 120 to the air exhaust part 202 provided at the lower rear surface of the docking station 200. do. Contaminants collected in the collection unit 120 are sucked into the collection pipe 222 through the first and second gates 122 and 221, and through this, they can be stored and collected inside the collection bag 223. In addition, since outside air is introduced through the exhaust port 103 and the suction part 110 of the wireless cleaner 100, contaminants in the collecting unit 120 are collected and the filter unit of the wireless cleaner 100 is cleaned at the same time. can

On the lower front side of the docking station 200, a protrusion 201 having a width equal to the horizontal width of the collecting unit 120 and protruding toward the front side is formed, and the collecting unit 120 is formed on the upper surface of the protrusion 201. A coupling part 210 recessed in a downward direction to be inserted and seated inward may be provided.

In one embodiment, on the front side of the docking station 200 including the front side of the protrusion 201, when the wireless cleaner 100 is docked, a part of the rear side of the wireless cleaner 100 is inserted into the front side of the docking station 200 and is fitted. , a partially recessed groove may be formed to correspond to the shape of the rear surface of the wireless cleaner 100 so as to slide upward.

The coupling part 210 is recessed in the same shape as the bottom of the collecting part 120, and the collecting part 120 is seated in the inner space of the coupling part 210, and at the same time the suction part 110 is docking station 200. The protrusion 201 of the protrusion 201 is provided on the front side so that the wireless cleaner 100 can be docked and mounted on the docking station 200 easily and stably.

The collecting part 220 is provided at a position facing the first gate 122 of the collecting part 120 among the recessed inner surfaces of the coupling part 210 to collect the collected parts from the first gate 122 to the collecting part 120. contaminants can be collected.

The collection part 220 is located at the top, is connected to the second gate 221 connected to the inside of the coupling part 210, extends to the bottom inside the docking station 200, and vacuums the inside by the second motor M. and a collection tube 222 that sucks pollutants from the collection unit 120 in a suction state and a collection bag 223 connected to the lower end of the collection tube 222 to collect and store pollutants collected from the collection tube 222. ) may be included.

In one embodiment, the second gate 221 may be made of an open hole or may have a gate door similar to the gate cap 122a, and when the wireless cleaner 100 is docked with the docking station 200, the first gate 221 may be formed. 2 The gate cap 122a is rotated to the inside of the collection pipe 222 by the vacuum state and the suction force in the collection pipe 222 connected to the gate 221, and the first gate 122 and the second gate 221 are separated. The inside is in communication. In some embodiments, the second gate 221 closes the collection unit 220 while the wireless cleaner 100 is separated from the docking station 200 to prevent problems such as bad smell. To this end, a gate cap similar to the gate cap 122a may be provided on the second gate 221 , and the disclosure related to the gate cap 122a may be referred to.

In one embodiment, the collection tube 222 is built into the protrusion 201 of the docking station 200 and extends downward around the second gate 221, and communicates with the second motor M to collect the tube. (222) When the second motor (M) is driven by making the inside a negative pressure, the first gate 122 is also opened through the suction force of the collection tube 222, and the pollutants collected in the collection unit 120 are in communication with the inside. It may move to the collection pipe 222 through the first and second gates 122 and 221 . In particular, since the collection pipe 222 extends downward, when the first and second gates 122 and 221 are opened, the suction force of the second motor M as well as the load of the contaminants are efficiently directed toward the collection bag 223. make it possible to fall

In one embodiment, a collection bag 223 is provided at the lower end of the collection pipe 222 to collect pollutants sucked into the collection pipe 222. Contaminants are collected inside the collection bag 223, and then the user can replace the collection bag 223 filled with the contaminants to remove the contaminants introduced into the docking station 200.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7B , pressure plates 224 may be additionally provided on both sides of the collection bag 223 . The pressure plate 224 is built in a pair and is embedded in the protrusion 201, and when the wireless cleaner 100 is separated from the docking station 200, the pressure plate 224 automatically moves horizontally toward the collection bag 223 as indicated by an arrow. It moves and serves to compress the collection bag 223.

Even though the capacity of the collection bag 223 is not full, the first detection unit 225 determines that the capacity of the collection bag 223 is fully charged, and there is a risk of guiding the user to replace the collection bag 223. . Therefore, when the second motor (M) stops driving or the wireless cleaner 100 is separated from the docking station 200, the pair of pressure plates 224 press and adhere to the collection bag 223, so that the collection bag 223 ) or reduce the volume of contaminants.

A first sensing unit 225 is provided inside the end of the collection pipe 222 where the collection bag 223 is installed to directly detect the amount of contaminants in the collection bag 223 located at the lower side or drive the second motor M. By detecting the load at the time, the amount of contaminants inside the collection bag 223 is determined. When contaminants contained in the collection bag 223 are detected in excess of a predetermined amount, an alarm for replacement of the collection bag 223 is sent to the outside through a notification module (not shown) such as a display or a speaker provided in the docking station 200. can be sent to guide the user.

In one embodiment, the upper front side of the docking station 200, not the side provided with the protrusion 201, is electrically connected to the charging port 104 of the wireless cleaner 100 docked with the coupling part 210 as described above. A charging unit 230 that can be coupled may be provided. The charging unit 230 may be provided in a state in which wireless charging is possible depending on the charging method of the charging port 104, and a charging terminal 231 that can be combined with the charging port 104 in the form of a terminal may be formed in a recessed manner. . That is, a charging terminal 231 recessed into a shape corresponding to the charging port 104 is included so that the charging port 104 protruding in a bar shape can be inserted and coupled to the charging port 104 to the inside of the charging terminal 231. may be electrically coupled by inserting, through which the wireless cleaner 100 may be charged.

In one embodiment, the docking station 200 can be mounted by inserting and fixing the collecting part 120 into the coupling part 210, and the charging port of the wireless cleaner 100 seated on the protrusion 201 ( 104), the charging unit 230 is provided at a position corresponding to the wireless cleaner 100 so that the wireless cleaner 100 can be charged as well as the wireless cleaner 100 mounted.

At this time, as described above, the docking station 200 may be artificially collected by the user through the manipulation unit 270 located at the top to collect the pollutants collected in the collecting unit 120, but the coupling unit 210 As soon as it is seated, the second motor (M) is automatically driven in advance to collect pollutants. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the operation unit 270 is convenient to operate when the user is standing facing the front of the standing cleaning device 1, and is directed from the rear to the front to increase visibility. It may also be arranged with a downward slope. In addition, a user interface capable of manually or automatically setting that the second motor M produces a variable gas flow rate may be provided on the control unit 270 .

When the second motor (M) is continuously driven even though pollutants collected in the collector 120 are sufficiently collected toward the docking station 200, excessive power consumption may occur, and the second motor (M) ) is driven, the second motor M may be excessively driven when the wireless cleaner 100 is used for a short period of time and pollutants collected in the collector 120 are considerably small. Conversely, even when pollutants are excessively filled on the collecting unit 120, the second motor M needs to be additionally driven in addition to the preset driving time of the second motor M. Therefore, in one embodiment, the docking station 200 includes a second sensing unit capable of detecting the amount of pollutants provided inside the collecting unit 120 and driving or stopping the second motor M through this. 240 of FIG. 3) may be additionally provided.

The second detecting unit 240 is provided below the charging unit 230 and is in close contact with the lower surface of the collecting unit 120 inserted into the coupling unit 210 to the inner rear surface of the collecting unit 120, that is, the rear cavity 123b. It detects the amount of the built-in contaminants and additionally drives the second motor M through this, or stops the second motor M when the amount of contaminants is not detected.

In one embodiment, the second detection unit 240 is composed of an infrared camera or a detection sensor and can detect the amount of contaminants collected into the collecting unit 120 . At this time, since the collecting unit 120 is made of a material capable of projection, infrared rays emitted from the second sensing unit 240 are projected, and the user visually checks the degree of collection of pollutants in the collecting unit 120 from the outside. The collecting unit 120 can be directly separated from the wireless cleaner frame 101 to be dismantled and cleaned, and the pollutants in the collecting unit 120 can be collected from the collecting unit 220 by docking it to the docking station 200. let it be

Therefore, the second detection unit 240 is connected to a control unit (not shown) in the docking station 200, so that the control unit determines the amount of contaminants in the collecting unit 120 detected by the second detection unit 240. 2 By controlling the driving of the motor (M), contaminants in the collecting unit 120 can be completely removed.

In one embodiment, the operation of the second motor (M) can vary the suction force while the dust collecting unit 120 is discharged. For example, by adjusting the electric power applied to the second motor (M) to control the rotation speed, it is possible to induce a variable suction force. Contaminants such as dust or hair adhered to, or wrapped around, the suction part 110, the collecting part 120, and the filter part 130 of the wireless cleaner 100, or the coupling part 210 of the docking station 200 and for the contaminants adhered to or wound around the collection pipe 222, which is the movement path of the contaminants, by inducing a change in speed in the gas flow for dust inhalation, the contaminants are easily eliminated, and finally, the collection unit (220). For example, in order to vary the suction force, the power signal applied to the second motor M may have a pulse waveform such as a sine wave, a triangular wave, or a square wave, as non-limiting examples. The pulse waveform may have a rising or falling ramp section, so that a change in flow rate may be induced while minimizing vibration caused by a sudden change in speed of the second motor (M). The change of the waveform applied to the second motor M may be achieved by adjusting the pulse width or duty cycle through pulse width modulation (PWM) such as chopper control and switching power.

8A and 8B are power diagrams for explaining a method of driving the docking station 200 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8A, as a power signal applied to the second motor M, in order to change the gas flow rate for inhalation of pollutants, a power pulse is applied for a predetermined time, that is, T2 - T2 time, for example, 10 seconds. A signal may be applied, and the power pulse signal may turn on/off the start of the second motor M for a predetermined time, thereby inducing an intermittent change in flow rate. At this time, by making the width of the On pulse signal larger than the width of the Off pulse signal, a certain level of suction rate can be maintained.

Referring to FIG. 8B, as a power signal applied to the second motor M, a power pulse signal is applied for a predetermined time, but power signals having different sizes, such as P1 and P2, are alternately applied to the second motor M. ) can allow the flow rate to be varied while maintaining an effective flow rate that generates a suction force.

The foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and the present invention is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the speed of the gas flow for the suction is varied by repeating an increase or decrease in the rotational speed for a predetermined time through control of the power signal applied to the second motor (M), thereby reducing the pulsation of the suction force. may lead to complete collection of the pollutant during the discharge time of the pollutant. Like the embodiment of the present invention, the method of inducing the pulsation of the intake airflow for a certain time according to the above-described method of varying the power applied to the second motor (M) is a variable for modulating the airflow in the docking station 200. Since the pulsation can be induced only by the power signal by the control circuit that controls the motor (M) without any additional mechanical help such as a valve or variable gate, the internal structure of the docking station is simplified, making it easy to manufacture and maintain. An economical docking station can be provided.

When the wireless cleaner 100 is docked with the docking station 200, the first gate 122 of the collecting unit 120 drawn into the coupling unit 210 is opened, and pollutants collected into the collecting unit 120 are removed. It moves to the inside of the collection unit 220, and pathogenic entities such as bacteria, viruses, or worms are included together with dust in the contaminants, and are collected and collected. Bacteria can propagate inside the suction part 110 or the collection part 220, and can multiply rapidly, especially when contaminants are humid, and because they have a fine size, they pass through the filter part 130 in large quantities into the outside air. of germs may be excreted.

In one embodiment, the docking station 200 may further include a sterilization unit 250 capable of sterilizing contaminants. The sterilization unit 250 is, for example, an ultraviolet sterilization lamp having a wavelength and output having a sterilization effect such as DNA destruction or porphyrin reaction decomposition, or a sterilization device using a light source such as an ultraviolet sterilization LED, or a high heat such as a heater. It may include a sterilization device, a sterilization device by spraying chemicals, or a combination thereof, and may include a single or multiple modules. The sterilization unit 230 according to an embodiment of the present invention is any means capable of improving or eliminating hygiene and odor problems by decomposing or killing pathogenic substances or objects such as viruses, bacteria, or insects, and the present invention is limited thereto it is not going to be In one embodiment, the sterilization unit 250 is installed in a partial area of the collection unit 220 and is automatically driven when the docking station 200 detects the docking state of the collection unit 120 of the wireless cleaner 100. It can be driven by a user manipulating the control unit 270 . In another embodiment, the sterilization unit 250 may be attached to another location, such as the collection bag 223 described later.

In one embodiment, the collecting unit 120 is made of a material that can transmit ultraviolet rays such as UV-C irradiated by the second sterilization module 252, and contaminants built in the collecting unit 120 are subjected to ultraviolet sterilization treatment. It can be. In one embodiment, the upper end of the collecting unit 120 may be formed of a material that cannot transmit ultraviolet rays to prevent ultraviolet rays emitted from the collecting unit 120 for sterilization from being transmitted to the outside and exposed to the user. For example, a cover (see 105 in FIG. 2B ) that covers the top of the collecting unit 120 to prevent ultraviolet rays of the sterilizing unit 250 that transmits ultraviolet rays from the lower side to the upper side of the collecting unit 120 from being exposed to the outside It may be additionally provided. In one embodiment, the cover 105 is formed in a form surrounding the upper end of the cylindrical collecting part 120 as shown in FIG. ) It is bent and extended downward like the top shape. Therefore, when the user couples and fixes the collecting part 120 to the lower side of the cleaner frame 101, that is, to the back of the exhaust port 103, the upper part of the collecting part 120 can be closely attached to the lower side of the cover 105. At the same time as serving as a guide, ultraviolet rays irradiated from the second sterilization module 252 completely penetrate the collecting unit 120 to prevent ultraviolet rays from being exposed to the outside through the upper side of the docking station 200 .

In another embodiment, the docking station 200 may include a sterilization device for performing sterilization using waste heat generated by driving the docking station 200 together with or alone with the sterilization unit 250 described above. there is. The waste heat is mainly generated in the second motor M, and the waste heat can be used as an energy source for the heater described above.

In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 7C , the docking station 200 communicates the air exhaust part 202 and the coupling part 210 of the docking station 200 so that air flows inside and outside the docking station 200. A circulation tube 253 forming a circulation system may be further included. The first adapter 253A, which is one end of the circulation tube 253, is coupled to the coupling part 210 of the docking station 200, and the second adapter 253B, which is the other end, is connected to the exhaust part 202 of the docking station 200. can be coupled to The first adapter 253A and the second adapter 253B of the circulation tube 253 may be connected through a tube 253T. The tube 253T may be a bellows or a corrugated tube, may have flexibility, and may be made of a synthetic resin such as PVC. The internal gas flow path passing through the exhaust unit 202 from the coupling part 210 of the docking station 200 through the collection bag 223 by the heat generated by the heat generation of the motor M when the second motor M operates. The gas passing through the external gas flow path provided by the circulation tube 253 is heated while circulating as indicated by arrow K, and is collected from the inside of the docking station 200, particularly from the coupling part 210 including the collection tube 222. It can help sterilize the gas path to the bag 223.

Referring back to FIGS. 7A and 7B , in one embodiment, the manipulation unit 270 is provided on the top surface of the docking station 200 so that the user can control driving of the docking station 200 . In addition, the upper surface of the docking station 200 on which the control unit 270 is provided is provided with a means for guiding the operating situation of the docking station 200 to the outside to the user, such as a speaker or a display, so that the operation of the docking station 200 It enables the external user to be notified of the driving situation.

Therefore, the cordless cleaner 100, which has been used through the cleaning device 1 including the wireless cleaner 100 having the above-described configuration and the docking station 200, is docked to the docking station 200 to clean the wireless cleaner 100. can be mounted and the wireless cleaner 100 can be charged, and at the same time as this mounting, the dust collected by the wireless cleaner is automatically drawn out toward the docking station 200 to enable the removal of contaminants inside the wireless cleaner 100. The usability and functionality of the cordless cleaner 100 may be improved, and the user's effort to manually remove dust in the cordless cleaner may be reduced.

The present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and various substitutions, modifications, and changes are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention, which is common in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. It will be clear to those who have knowledge.

1: cleaning device
100: wireless cleaner
200: docking station

Claims (4)

A wireless cleaner and a docking station holding the wireless cleaner,
The wireless cleaner includes a cleaner frame having a first motor, a charging port for charging a battery for starting the motor, and an exhaust port; a collecting unit releasably coupled to the cleaner frame and having a first opening for discharging collected pollutants; And a filter unit disposed inside the collecting unit,
The docking station includes a coupling part having a second opening disposed at a position corresponding to the first opening when the wireless cleaner is mounted and communicating with the first opening during the emptying operation; a collection unit communicating with the collection unit through the second opening inside the coupling unit and suctioning and collecting pollutants collected in the collection unit; a charging unit coupled to the charging port when the collecting unit is mounted on the coupling unit; and a second motor providing a suction pressure to the collection unit for pollutants accommodated in the collection unit.
The first opening is formed on a rear side of a sidewall of the collecting unit to expose an inner space of the collecting unit in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the filter unit of the cordless cleaner, and the filter unit and the filter unit are activated by the operation of the second motor. A cleaning device capable of charging power and emptying dust by forming a cyclone airflow in the inner space of the collecting unit to move dust contained in the collecting unit to the collecting unit by the cyclone airflow. According to claim 1,
The cleaning device capable of charging power and emptying dust, wherein the first opening of the wireless cleaner includes a first gate including an opening and a gate cap opening and closing the opening. According to claim 1,
The rear surface of the filter unit and the inner rear surface of the collecting unit are spaced apart from each other to form a rear cavity inside the cleaning device capable of charging power and emptying dust. According to claim 3,
A cleaning device capable of charging power and emptying dust in which the first opening exposes the side surface of the filter unit and the rear cavity.

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