RU2345697C1 - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: household objects and personal effects.

SUBSTANCE: vacuum cleaner comprises dust-collecting unit installed in receiving part of vacuum cleaner body with the possibility of disconnection and is intended for collection of dust or dirt sucked from vacuum cleaner body. Dust-collecting unit has dust bag for collection of dust or dirt, handle provided on one side of dust bag, cover for dust bag opening and closing and locking element, one end of which is fixed on cover top surface, and the second end stretches in external direction from cover and is supported by elastic support. Dust-collecting unit is arranged so that whenever it is installed in receiving part, it is inserted in this part in position, in which handle is held by user, at that locking element is fixed due to elasticity on internal side of receiving part. In order to withdraw dust-collecting unit from receiving part, user pulls the handle to pull out this unit from receiving part in position, in which end of locking element is pushed down. Cover has projecting part provided on one side of its periphery and intended for installation of the second end of locking element. Projecting part contains return spring installed on its internal side and intended for elastic support of the locking element second end. The second end of locking element is installed at the distance from upper surface of cover with provision of possibility for pressing part installed on it to move up and down. Dust-collecting unit is located with incline in direction of its installation into receiving part of vacuum cleaner body.

EFFECT: simultaneous installation and disconnection of dust-collecting unit and simplification of locking structure between dust-collecting unit and vacuum cleaner body with provision of high quality sealed connection.

6 cl, 8 dwg

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical field

This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner and, more specifically, to a dust collecting unit of a vacuum cleaner that is installed in a vacuum cleaner body and is designed to collect dust or dirt drawn in together with air from the outside of the vacuum cleaner body, and to release dust free air.

Description of the prior art

Typically, a vacuum cleaner creates a suction force by means of a suction motor installed in a vacuum cleaner body, and draws dust or dirt together with air from a surface to be cleaned due to a suction force. When drawn air, contaminated by dust or dirt, passes through the dust collecting unit, dust or dirt is removed from it, so that only cleaned air is released from the vacuum cleaner body.

Such a conventional vacuum cleaner comprises a locking assembly that fixes a dust collector detachably mounted in a vacuum cleaner body, as set forth in Korean Patent Publication No. 1991-10792. In this case, the locking unit is installed separately from the dust collector on one side of the vacuum cleaner body, and it attaches the dust collector by means of a fastening protrusion made on its upper end, which fixes the fastening edge of the dust collector.

On the other hand, in a conventional vacuum cleaner, if it is necessary to install a dust collector in the vacuum cleaner body, the user holds the handle of the locking assembly with one hand and at the same time pulls the handle outward from the vacuum cleaner body, giving it some elasticity. In this position, the user inserts the dust bag into the vacuum cleaner body with the other hand, and then releases the handle of the locking assembly, returning it to its original position. In addition, if it is necessary to separate the dust collector from the vacuum cleaner body, the user also performs the separation of the dust collector in three steps, similar to the installation of the dust collector. Accordingly, a complication arises which consists in the fact that when installing and separating the dust collector, the user not only has to perform the action in several steps, but also use both hands.

Additionally, since the dust collector is operated in a state in which it is placed in the vacuum cleaner body only due to its own weight, a complication arises in that when the external influence is applied to the vacuum cleaner body or the dust collector, the tight attachment of the vacuum cleaner body to the dust collector becomes unstable.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2001-499225, on the other hand, describes a locking structure for a dust collector that rotates the lever in one direction when the dust collector is inserted into the vacuum cleaner body, raising the pressure portion that comes into contact with the bottom surface of the dust collector and presses the dust collector strongly to the body of the vacuum cleaner with attachment to it, thereby ensuring their high-quality tight connection.

However, since in this case the structure for fixing the dust collector in the vacuum cleaner body is complicated, a problem arises in the inconvenience of servicing and repairing the product. In addition, when installing the dust bag, the user must insert it into the vacuum cleaner body in a position in which she or he holds the dust bag and then rotates the lever, and when separating the dust bag, turns the lever and then pulls the dust bag out of the vacuum cleaner body. Therefore, when installing or separating the dust bag, the user must perform the action in at least two steps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a solution to the above problems in this technical field. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner in which the installation and separation of the dust collecting unit can be performed in one step.

Another aspect of the present invention is the creation of a vacuum cleaner, which simplifies the locking structure between the dust collecting unit and the housing of the vacuum cleaner with their high-quality tight connection.

To achieve the above aspects, a vacuum cleaner comprising a dust collecting unit that is detachably mounted in a receiving portion of a vacuum cleaner body is provided for collecting dust or dirt drawn in from a vacuum cleaner body, and comprises a dust collector for collecting dust or dirt, a handle made on one side of the dust collector , a cover for opening and closing the dust container and a locking element, one end of which is fixed to the upper surface of the cover, and the second end extends outward from the cover and bends with an elastic support. The dust collecting unit is designed so that when it is installed in the receiving part, it is inserted into this part in a position in which the handle is held by the user, while the locking element is fixed due to elasticity on the inner side of the receiving part, and when the dust collecting unit is removed from the receiving part, the user pulls a handle for pulling this block from the receiving part in a position in which the second end of the locking element is pressed down. Accordingly, the dust collecting unit can be installed in the vacuum cleaner body or separated from it by one-handed operation.

The locking element on the upper surface has a mounting protrusion made adjacent to its second end, and the receiving part has a mounting groove made on its upper surface and designed to accommodate the mounting protrusion. Thus, the dust collecting unit can be installed and fixed in the receiving part without freedom of movement. Moreover, the mounting protrusion may have an inclined surface inclined downward in the direction of installation of the dust collecting unit in the receiving part, and a vertical surface made in the direction of pulling the dust collecting unit from the receiving part. Since the dust collecting unit is installed in the receiving part using the above-described inclined surface, it can only be stably installed in the receiving part by introducing it into the receiving part.

The cover may have a protruding part, made on one side of its periphery and designed to accommodate the second end of the locking element, and the protruding part contains a return spring located on its inner side and designed to resiliently support the second end of the locking element. Such a return spring, the lower surface of the dust collecting unit is strongly pressed and placed on the supporting surface of the receiving part and, thus, the dust collecting unit is attached to the vacuum cleaner body to ensure a high-quality tight connection.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the second end of the locking element is located at a distance from the upper surface of the lid with the possibility of moving up and down made on it of the pressure part.

To facilitate the action of introducing the dust collecting unit into the receiving part or separating from it, the dust collecting unit may be inclined in the direction of installation in the receiving part of the vacuum cleaner body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above aspects and other advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 and 2 depict schematic side views of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, respectively, before installing the dust collecting unit in the receiving part of the vacuum cleaner and after installing it;

figure 3 and 4 depict, respectively, axonometric views of the dust collecting unit of the vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the internal structure of the vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 2;

6 depicts an enlarged fragment VI shown in figure 5;

Fig.7 depicts an enlarged fragment VII shown in Fig.5; and

Fig.8 depicts an enlarged fragment VII shown in Fig.7, when separating the mounting protrusion of the locking element from the mounting groove.

It should be understood that in these drawings, the same item numbers refer to similar parts and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

The following is a detailed description of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are schematic side views of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, respectively, before installing the dust collecting unit in the receiving part of the vacuum cleaner and after installing it.

In accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2, a vacuum cleaner according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a suction nozzle 1 for drawing dust or dirt from a surface to be cleaned, an extension tube 3, a handle 5, a connecting hose 7, a housing 10 and a dust collecting unit 100.

The hose 7 is removably connected to the body 10 of the vacuum cleaner for connecting the suction nozzle 1 to the connecting part 11 for the hose in front of the body 10 of the vacuum cleaner to direct dust or dirt drawn from the surface to be cleaned into the body 10 of the vacuum cleaner. In addition, in front of the vacuum cleaner body 10, a receiving part 12 is provided for mounting the dust collecting unit 100 therein. In this case, the part 12 is configured so that the abutment surface 14 on which the dust collecting unit 100 rests, and the upper surface 16 with which the upper surface (see FIG. 3) of the cover 130 of the block 100 is tilted downward towards the installation direction of the block 100. Accordingly, when the block 100 is installed in an inclined position in part 12, it is pulled out of the vacuum cleaner body, which when using located on the surface being cleaned and resting on it, it is not difficult for the user who is above the cleaner body 10 to pull out the unit 100. On the other hand, the cleaner body 10 in the rear part contains a suction motor (not shown) and wheels 20 mounted on both sides of its back, which ensure smooth movement of the vacuum cleaner on the surface to be cleaned.

Despite the fact that the block 100, which is discussed below with reference to Fig.3-8, is shown as an example in which it has a cyclone design that allows dust or dirt to separate from the air due to centrifugal force, and a cavity for collecting dust or dirt, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the dust collecting unit may have an interior part of such a structure that contains only a dust collecting cavity or an air exhaust filter, as well as a dust collecting cavity.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively perspective views of a dust collecting unit of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; figure 5 is a schematic section of the internal structure of the vacuum cleaner shown in figure 2; 6 is an enlarged fragment VI shown in figure 5; Fig.7 is an enlarged fragment VII shown in Fig.5; and FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragment VII shown in FIG. 7 when separating the fastening protrusion of the locking member from the fastening groove.

In accordance with FIG. 3, the dust collecting unit 100 comprises a housing 110, a cover 130, a handle 150, and a locking member 170.

In accordance with figure 4, the housing 110 has an inlet 111 for drawing in air and dust or dirt, which is drawn into the housing 110 through the housing 10 of the vacuum cleaner, and an outlet 113 for discharging purified air from which dust or dirt is separated. In this case, a filter 115 is located on the inner bottom surface of the housing 110, and a holder 117 is held across the outlet 113 to hold the filter 115. In addition, the housing 110 has a cyclone structure that centrifugally separates dust or dirt that is drawn together with air into the housing 110 through the inlet 111, and discharges dust-separated air to the outlet 113.

In accordance with FIG. 5, the cyclone comprises a cylindrical portion 123 into which dust or dirt is drawn together with air through an inlet portion 121 communicating with the inlet 111 and an exhaust pipe 125 located in the cylindrical portion 123 and intended to discharge air separated from dust . In addition, a spiral-shaped guide 127 is provided between the inner part of the cylindrical part 123 and the exhaust pipe 125, which rotates on air and dust or dirt pulled into the cylindrical part 123 through the inlet part 121. Between the outer side of the cylindrical part 123 and the inner part of the housing 110 a dust collecting cavity 129 is provided for collecting dust or dirt 30, which is centrifugally separated from the air and then discharged to the upper part of the cylindrical part 123.

In accordance with figure 3 and 6, the cover 130 is removably mounted on the upper end of the housing 110 and is designed to close and open the open upper part of the housing 110. In this case, on the lower surface of the cover 130 along its outer edge is made a connecting groove 130a to accommodate the top the upper part of the housing 110 and the connection with it, while in the connecting groove 130a inserted seal 131, which prevents the reduction of the suction force in the block 100. In addition, the cover 130 contains preventing countercurrent protruding portion 133, passing in morning, that is, down from its lower surface, while its diameter exceeds the diameter of the cylindrical part 123. In this way, the return to the cylindrical part 123 through the dust-emitting cavity 134 of dust or dirt released by centrifugal force into the cavity 129 through the cavity 134 is prevented. Moreover, the lid 130 comprises a recessed portion 132, which extends hollow down from the central part of its upper surface. Part 132 does not allow the fastening part 171, the description of which is given below, to significantly extend beyond the upper surface of the cover 130. This circumstance leads to the prevention of the engagement of the fastening part 171 at the front end 19 (see Fig. 7) of the receiving part 12 of the cleaner body 10 when installed in unit 100 or separation from it, allowing for smooth installation or separation of the unit 100.

In accordance with figures 4 and 7, the cover 130 contains a protruding portion 135 with a receiving recess 135a, made on one side of its circumference. In the receiving recess 135a, there is a pressing part 175, the description of which is given below and which is arranged to move up and down, and in the receiving recess 135a, a return spring 160 is located to maintain due to the elastic force of the lower end of the pressing part 175. The spring 160 from both of it the ends are fastened by the first mounting protrusion 161 of the recess 135a and the second mounting protrusion 162 of the lower surface of the pressure portion 175.

In accordance with FIG. 5, the handle 150 has a gripping portion 151 located in the longitudinal direction of the housing 110. The gripping portion 151 at its upper and lower ends is connected to the connecting parts 153 and 155 of the upper side and lower side extending from one side of the peripheral surface of the housing 110 so that it is held at a distance from the housing 110. The upper side connecting portion 153 at its upper surface has a support recess 153a in which the protruding portion 135 of the lid 130 is located. In this case, the upper connecting portion 153 the oron is located outside the portion 12, so that when the block 100 is installed in the portion 12, the user has easy access to the pressure portion 175 located in the protruding portion 135.

In accordance with FIGS. 3 and 5-8, the locking element 170 comprises a fastening part 171 and an elongated strip 173. The fastening part 171 acts as a handle that can be held by a user so as to easily open or close the lid 130. Such fastening part 171 is attached a tightening screw 165 in the recessed portion 132 of the lid 130 so that it does not protrude beyond the upper surface of the lid 130. The elongated strip 173 extends to some length from one side of the fastening part 171. Such an elongated strip 173 almost at its middle has a threaded portion 174 located on a portion of the edge 132a of the recessed portion 132. In this case, the elongated strip 173 is configured so that the portion located in the direction of the pressure portion 175 is made in the form of a step, rising above the portion located in the direction of the mounting portion 171 located along centered on the curved portion 174. Thus, the portion of the elongated strip 173 located in the direction of the pressure portion 175 is located at a distance from the upper surface of the cover 120. Therefore, the pressure portion 175 may have an area that may eschatsya up and down, as this allows the distance from the upper surface of the cover 120.

In addition, the elongated strip 173 has a mounting protrusion 177 extending upward from its upper surface adjacent to the pressure portion 175. In accordance with FIG. 8, the mounting protrusion 177 at the surface of one side thereof has an inclined surface 177a that is inclined downward in the installation direction of the unit 100 in part 12 of the housing 10 of the vacuum cleaner, and at the surface of the other side has a vertical surface 177b, made in the direction of pulling the block 100 from part 12. In this case, on the side of the front end of the surface 16 of the upper side of part 12 is made fixing a groove 18 into which a protrusion 177 is inserted and fastened with a possibility of separation.

The following is an explanation of the operation of installing the unit 100 and separating it from part 12 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the above construction.

First, as illustrated in FIG. 1, if it is necessary to install the block 100, which is separated from the cleaner body 10, in part 12, the user holds the gripping part 151 of the handle 150 and then slides the block 100 into the part 12 in an inclined direction corresponding to the part 12 At the same time, the protrusion 177 of the locking element 170 is driven into sliding motion, while the inclined surface 177a comes into contact with the front end 19 of part 12. This circumstance causes the elongated strip 173 of the element 170 to deform so that the portion laid in the direction of the pressing part 175, moves downward by a certain angle relative to the curved part 174 located on the edge 132a of the recessed part 132. At the same time, the spring 160 is brought into a compressed state so that its holding force of elasticity applied to the portion of the elongated strip 173 located in the direction of the pressure portion 175. Therefore, when the block 100 is fully inserted in the portion 12, the fastening protrusion 177 is inserted into the fastening groove 18 due to the elastic force and fixed in it, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

In this position, even if the user pulls the gripping portion 151, the protrusion 177 does not release from the groove 18 due to the vertical surface 177b. Since in this state, that is, when the block 100 is completely inserted into the part 12, as described above, the spring 160 returns due to the force of elasticity to the upper surface of the locking element 170 opposite the surface portion 16 of the upper side of the part 12, the lower surface 110a of the block 100 is included strong contact with the supporting surface 14 (see figure 2). Accordingly, the inlet 111 and the outlet 113 shown in FIG. 4 can be maintained in a state of high-quality tight connection with a corresponding inlet (not shown) and a corresponding outlet (not shown), which are provided on the supporting surface 14 with messages with them. Thus, the unit 100 can be installed in part 12 simply by introducing it.

Otherwise, if the block 100 needs to be separated from the part 12, the user holds the gripping part 151 of the handle 150 and at the same time pulls the handle 150 in the pulling direction, while pressing down on the pressing part 175 with his thumb to completely separate the protrusion 177 from the groove 18 as a result, the block 100 is separated from the part 12. Thus, the work of separating the block 100 from the part 12 can also be simply performed, in particular, with only one hand.

As is apparent from the above description, the advantage of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is that the dust collecting unit can be installed in the receiving part or separated from it by one step.

Additionally, the vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a simple locking structure that firmly fastens the dust collection unit in the receiving part of the vacuum cleaner body. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is easy to maintain and repair.

In addition, the vacuum cleaner in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is structurally designed so that the dust collecting unit mounted in the receiving part of the vacuum cleaner body is operated in a state of high-quality tight connection with the vacuum cleaner body, which improves the reliability of the product.

Although a representative exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been demonstrated and described to illustrate the principles of the present invention, it is not limited to a specific exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that specialists may make various modifications and changes that do not go beyond the essence and scope of legal protection of this invention, which are defined in the attached claims. Thus, it should be borne in mind that such modifications, changes and equivalents are all included in the scope of legal protection of this invention.

Claims (6)

1. A vacuum cleaner containing
the dust collecting unit, which is detachably mounted in the receiving part of the vacuum cleaner body, is designed to collect dust or dirt drawn from the vacuum cleaner body, and contains
a dust collector designed to collect dust or dirt,
a handle made on one side of the dust bag,
a cover for opening and closing the dust bag and
a locking element, one end of which is fixed to the upper surface of the cover, and the second end extends outward from the cover and is supported by an elastic support,
moreover, the dust collecting unit is designed so that when it is installed in the receiving part, it is inserted into this part in a position in which the handle is held by the user, while the locking element is fixed on the inside of the receiving part due to elasticity, and when the dust collecting unit is removed from the receiving part, the user pulls by the handle for pulling this block from the receiving part in a position in which the second end of the locking element is pressed down. 2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, in which the locking element on the upper surface has a mounting protrusion made adjacent to its second end, and the receiving part has a mounting groove made on its upper surface and designed to accommodate the mounting protrusion. 3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, in which the mounting protrusion has an inclined surface inclined downward in the direction of installation of the dust collecting unit in the receiving part, and a vertical surface made in the direction of pulling the dust collecting unit from the receiving part. 4. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the cover has a protruding part made on one side of its periphery and designed to accommodate the second end of the locking element, and the protruding part contains a return spring located on its inner side and designed for elastic maintaining the second end of the locking element. 5. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the second end of the locking element is located at a distance from the upper surface of the cover with the possibility of moving up and down made on it of the pressure part. 6. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the dust collecting unit is inclined in the direction of its installation in the receiving part of the vacuum cleaner body.

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