US20060090288A1

US20060090288A1 - Complex type cleaner

Info

Publication number: US20060090288A1
Application number: US11/029,365
Authority: US
Inventors: Yong Lee; Choon Chung; Hyeun Nam; Young Jung
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2004-11-03
Filing date: 2005-01-06
Publication date: 2006-05-04
Also published as: KR100619755B1; GB2419808A; CN1768665A; GB2419808B; GB0501321D0; KR20060039736A; CN100369572C

Abstract

A complex type cleaner comprises: a body having either a dust collecting container for storing dust and foreign materials or a water collecting container for storing contaminated water; a fan motor installed at the body and generating a suction force to suck dust or water; a suction head arranged at a lower side of the body, for sucking dust at the time of performing a vacuum-cleaning; and a suction nozzle installed at the suction head, for sucking contaminated water at the time of performing a water cleaning, wherein the water collecting container is composed of: a container mounted at the body and having a space for storing water; a cover mounted at an upper surface of the container and having an outlet for exhausting air inside the container; a division plate for dividing inside of the container into a first chamber and a second chamber, for introducing water stored in the second chamber to the first chamber when the water inside the second chamber is more than a certain level; and a water exhaustion preventing unit arranged at the first chamber, for preventing water stored in the container from being exhausted through the outlet. According to this, a mis-operation of the floater due to sloshing of the water stored in the container during a cleaning operation can be prevented.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a complex type cleaner, and more particularly, to a complex type cleaner capable of selectively performing a vacuum cleaning for sucking dust and foreign materials and a water cleaning for cleaning a region to be cleaned by spraying cleaning water in one cleaner.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Generally, an upright type vacuum cleaner comprises: a body arranged in an upright state; a suction fan mounted in the body and generating a suction force; a filter container having a filter for collecting dust and foreign materials sucked by a suction force generated from the suction fan therein; a suction head arranged at a lower side of the body, for sucking dust and foreign materials of a floor; and a brush rotatably installed at the suction head, for brushing up dust and foreign materials of a floor.
In the upright type vacuum cleaner, when the suction fan is driven, a suction force is generated and dust and foreign materials of a floor are sucked to the suction head by the generated suction force. Then, the dust and foreign materials are filtered by the filter and are collected in the filter container.
A general extractor includes: a water supply container in which cleaning liquid is contained; a pump for pumping the cleaning liquid contained in the water supply container; a spray nozzle for spraying the cleaning liquid pumped by the pump to a region to be cleaned; a suction nozzle for sucking contaminated water and dust of the region to be cleaned; a water collecting container for storing the contaminated water sucked to the suction nozzle; and a suction fan for generating a suction force so that contaminated water can be sucked into the suction nozzle.
As a pump of the extractor is driven, the cleaning liquid stored in the water supply container is sprayed on a carpet, etc. and the carpet is rubbed while the brush is rotated. Then, contaminated water is sucked by the suction nozzle and is collected into the water collecting container. At this time, air is exhausted to the outside.
In the conventional cleaner, a vacuum cleaner for vacuum-cleaning dust and foreign materials and a water cleaner for water-cleaning a carpet, etc. have to be provided thereby to increase the cost. Also, a large space for storing two cleaners is required thereby to have inconvenience in storing the cleaners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a complex type cleaner capable of reducing a cost, enhancing a user's convenience, and enabling a convenient storage by performing a vacuum-cleaning for sucking dust and a water-cleaning for sucking water by spraying cleaning water to a region to be cleaned in one cleaner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a complex type cleaner capable of storing a great amount of contaminated water by improving a structure of a water collecting container and capable of preventing a mis-operation of a floater due to sloshing of water inside the water collecting container.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a complex type cleaner comprising: a body having either a dust collecting container for storing dust and foreign materials or a water collecting container for storing contaminated water; a fan motor installed at the body and generating a suction force to suck dust or water; a suction head arranged at a lower side of the body, for sucking dust at the time of performing a vacuum-cleaning; and a suction nozzle installed at the suction head, for sucking contaminated water at the time of performing a water cleaning, wherein the water collecting container is composed of: a container mounted at the body and having a space for storing water; a cover mounted at an upper surface of the container and having an outlet for exhausting air inside the container; a division plate for dividing the inside of the container into a first chamber and a second chamber, for introducing water stored in the second chamber to the first chamber when the water inside the second chamber is more than a certain level; and a water exhaustion preventing unit arranged at the first chamber, for preventing water stored in the container from being exhausted through the outlet.
The container is provided with a handgrip at an outer side surface thereof, and an inlet connected to the suction nozzle by a water suction hose is formed at a lower side of the container.
A guide passage for moving water introduced into the inlet to an upper portion of the container and then introducing the water into the container is formed at an inner side of the container.
The guide passage is formed by a partition wall formed in the container in a vertical direction, and a lower side of the guide passage is connected to the inlet. An entrance through which water that has flowed up along the guide passage is introduced into the container is formed at an upper end of the guide passage.
The division plate is composed of: a first plate arranged in the container in a horizontal direction and formed as an arc shape; a second plate extended from one side surface of the first plate in a vertical direction; and a third plate extended from another side surface of the second plate and forming the first chamber.
The water exhaustion preventing unit is composed of: a floater housing positioned in the first chamber and connected to the outlet formed at the cover; and a floater mounted at the floater housing to be movable up and down, for preventing water from being exhausted through the outlet by blocking the outlet by a buoyancy force when water reaches a certain level.
The cover is composed of: a body mounted at an upper surface of the container; a tube connection portion formed at the center of an upper surface of the body and connected to an exhaustion tube connected to the fan motor; and a guide chamber formed at a lower side of the body, for connecting the outlet formed at a lower surface of the body and the tube connection portion.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a complex type cleaner having a water collecting container according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the water collecting container according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the water collecting container according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a water collecting container having an opened cover according to the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a water exhaustion preventing unit and a cover according to the present invention; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cover according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
One embodiment of a complex type cleaner according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the attached drawings as follows.
Even if a plurality of preferred embodiments of the present invention may exist, the most preferred embodiment will be explained hereinafter.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a complex type cleaner according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a lateral view showing a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container according to one embodiment of the present invention.
The complex type cleaner according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body 10 arranged in an upright state; a suction head 12 arranged at a lower side of the body 10, for sucking dust at the time of performing a vacuum cleaning; and a suction nozzle 14 installed at the suction head 12, for sucking water contaminated after completing a cleaning at the time of a water cleaning.
The body 10 is provided with a handgrip 16 at an upper side thereof, and a container mounting portion 22 for mounting either a dust collecting container 18 for collecting dust or a water collecting container 20 for storing contaminated water is formed at a front side of the body 10. A fan motor 24 for generating a suction force is mounted at an upper side of the container mounting portion 22.
A vacuum cleaning switch 28 adjusted by a user at the time of a vacuum cleaning mode, and a water cleaning switch 30 adjusted by a user at the time of a water cleaning mode are respectively installed at the handgrip 16.
The suction head 12 is mounted at a lower portion of the body 10, and a dust suction opening 32 for sucking dust and foreign materials is formed at a lower surface of the suction head 12. A dust suction hose 34 for guiding dust sucked into the dust suction opening 32 to the dust collecting container 18 is connected to a rear side of the suction head 12.
A brush 36 is rotatably mounted at a lower portion of the suction head 12. The brush 36 brushes up dust and foreign materials on a floor or a carpet to an inner side of the dust suction opening 32 at the time of a vacuum-cleaning mode, and rubs a region to be cleaned onto which cleaning water is sprayed at the time of a water-cleaning mode.
The dust collecting container 18 includes: a container 42 mounted at the container mounting portion 22 formed at the body 10, having a space for collecting dust, and having a handgrip 40 at one side thereof; an inlet 44 formed at one side of the container 42 and connected to the suction hose 34, for sucking dust and foreign materials into the container 42; a filter 46 arranged in the container 42, for filtering dust and foreign materials sucked into the container 42; and an exhaust passage 48 formed at an upper side of the container 42 and connected to the fan motor 24 and the filter 46, for exhausting air purified while passing through the filter 46.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a complex type cleaner having a water collecting container according to the present invention.
The suction nozzle 14 is mounted at a front side of the suction head 12, and a water suction hose 50 for guiding contaminated water sucked into the suction nozzle 14 to the water collecting container 20 mounted at the body 10 is connected to an upper side of the suction nozzle 14.
The suction nozzle 14 is composed of: a nozzle portion 52 provided with an entrance having a narrow width in order to easily suck water of a floor; and a guide passage portion 54 upwardly extended from the nozzle portion 52 and connected to the water suction hose 50, for guiding contaminated water sucked into the nozzle portion 52 to the water suction hose 50.
A cleaning water spray unit for spraying cleaning water to a region to be cleaned is installed at the body 10.
The cleaning water spray unit is composed of: a water tank 56 mounted at a lateral surface of the body 10, for storing cleaning water; a cleaning water supply line 58 connected to the water tank 56, for supplying cleaning water to the suction head 12; a pump 60 installed at the cleaning water supply line 58, for pumping cleaning water stored in the water tank 56; and a spray nozzle 62 connected to the end of the cleaning water supply line 58, for spraying cleaning water pumped by the pump 60 to a region to be cleaned.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the water collecting container according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the water collecting container according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a water collecting container having an opened cover according to the present invention.
The water collecting container 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention is composed of: a container 70 mounted at the container mounting portion 22 formed at the body 10 and having a space for storing water; a cover 74 mounted at an opened upper surface of the container 70 and having an outlet 72 for exhausting air inside the container 70; a division plate 80 for dividing the inside of the container 70 into a first chamber 76 and a second chamber 78, for introducing water stored in the second chamber 78 to the first chamber 76 when the water inside the second chamber 78 is more than a certain level; and a water exhaustion preventing unit 84 mounted at an upper surface of the division plate 80 and arranged at the first chamber 76, for preventing water stored in the container 70 from being exhausted through the outlet 72.
The container 70 is formed as a cylindrical shape having an opened upper surface, and has a handgrip 82 at an outer side surface thereof. An inlet 86 connected to the water suction hose 50 and through which water is introduced is formed at a lower side of the container 70.
A guide passage 88 for moving water introduced into the inlet 86 to an upper portion of the container 70 and then introducing the water of the upper portion of the container 70 into the container 70 is formed at an inner side of the container 70.
The guide passage 88 is formed by a partition wall 90 formed in the container 70 in a vertical direction, and a lower side of the guide passage 88 is connected to the inlet 86. An entrance 92 formed as one side of the partition wall 90 is cut and through which water that has flowed up along the guide passage 88 is introduced into the container 70 is formed at an upper end of the guide passage 88.
The guide passage 88 prevents contaminated water introduced into the container 70 through the inlet 86 from backward flowing to the suction nozzle 14.
The division plate 80 is composed of: a first plate 94 arranged in the container 70 in a horizontal direction and formed as an arc shape; a second plate 96 extended from one side surface of the first plate 94 in a vertical direction; and a third plate 98 extended from another side surface of the first plate 94 in a vertical direction and integrally connected to a lateral surface of the second plate 96, thereby forming the first chamber 76.
A passage 68 for introducing water stored in the second chamber 78 to the first chamber 76 when water stored in the second chamber 78 reaches a certain level is formed at an upper surface of the third plate 98.
The water exhaustion preventing unit 84 is composed of: a floater housing 100 positioned in the first chamber 76, mounted at an upper surface of the first plate 94 of the division plate 80, and connected to the outlet 72 formed at the cover 74; and a floater 102 mounted at the floater housing 100 to be movable up and down, for preventing water from being exhausted through the outlet 72 by blocking the outlet 72 by a buoyancy force when water reaches a certain level.
The water exhaustion preventing unit 84 is positioned in the container 70 to be inclined towards the front side of the body 10. That is, the water exhaustion preventing unit 84 is preferably positioned at an opposite side to a direction that the body 10 is inclined at the time of performing a cleaning.
Since the water exhaustion preventing unit 84 is arranged to be encompassed by the division plate 80, a mis-operation of the floater 102 due to sloshing of water stored in the second chamber 78 can be prevented at the time of performing a cleaning.
The cover 74 is composed of: a body 104 of a disc shape fittedly-coupled to an upper surface of the container 70; a tube connection portion 106 formed at the center of an upper surface of the body 104 and connected to an exhaustion tube 110 connected to the fan motor 24; a connection portion 108 formed as a ring shape towards a down direction from the outlet 72 formed at a lower surface of the body 104, and fittedly-coupled to the floater housing 100; and a guide chamber 120 formed at a lower side of the body 104, for connecting the outlet 72 and the tube connection portion 106 so that air exhausted through the outlet 72 can be guided to the tube connection portion 106.
A plate 112 is downwardly extended from the lower surface of the body 104 to encompass the outlet 72, and is in contact with the second plate 96 and the third plate 98 of the division plate 80, respectively.
An operation of the complex type cleaner according to the present invention will be explained as follows.
First, the operation of the complex type cleaner in a vacuum cleaning mode will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. The user mounts the dust collecting container 18 at the container mounting portion 22 of the body 10, and then operates the vacuum cleaning switch 28.
According to this, the fan motor 24 is operated to generate a suction force, and thereby dust and foreign materials on a floor or a carpet are sucked into the suction head 12 through the dust suction opening 32. At this time, the brush 36 mounted at the dust suction opening 32 is rotated, thereby brushing up dust and foreign materials on a floor or a carpet to the inner side of the suction head 12. The dust and foreign materials that have been sucked into the suction head 12 are introduced into the container 42 of the dust collecting container 18 through the suction hose 34. Then, the dust and foreign materials that have been sucked into the container 42 are filtered by the filter 46 and are collected in the container 42. At this time, only the air that has been purified while passing through the filter 46 is exhausted through the exhaust passage 48, and is exhausted to the outside via the fan motor 24.
Second, the operation of the complex type cleaner in a water cleaning mode will be explained with reference to FIG. 3. The user mounts the water collecting container 20 to the container mounting portion 22 of the body 10, and connects the inlet 86 of the water collecting container 20 to the suction nozzle 14 by the water suction hose 50. Then, the user operates the water cleaning switch 30 mounted at the body 10. According to this, the fan motor 24 is operated to generate a suction force, and at the same time, the pump 60 is operated to spray cleaning water to a floor or a carpet.
By a pumping force generated as the pump 60 is operated, the cleaning water stored in the water tank 56 is guided to the spray nozzle 62 through the cleaning water supply line 58. The spray nozzle 62 sprays the cleaning water to a floor or a carpet.
The brush 36 mounted in the suction head 12 rubs a region to be cleaned or a carpet on which cleaning water is sprayed while being rotated. By a suction force generated as the fan motor 24 is operated, water contaminated after completing the cleaning is sucked into the nozzle portion 52 of the suction nozzle 14.
Then, the contaminated water sucked into the nozzle portion 52 of the suction nozzle 52 is guided by the guide passage portion 54, and is introduced into the water collecting container 20 through the water suction hose 50.
The operation of the water collecting container 20 when water is introduced into the water collecting container 20 will be explained in more detail as follows.
Once water is introduced into the container 70 through the inlet 86, the water is guided to the upper side of the container 70 along the guide passage 88 and then is introduced into the second chamber 78 of the container 70 through the entrance 92 formed at the upper end of the guide passage 88.
When water is introduced into the second chamber 78 of the container 70, air inside the container 70 is exhausted to the outside via the fan motor 24 through the outlet 72 formed at the cover 74 and the exhaustion tube 110.
When a level of water introduced into the second chamber 78 of the container 70 is more than a certain level, the water stored in the second chamber 78 is introduced into the first chamber 76 through the plate 112 formed at the division plate 80. By a buoyancy force of the water introduced into the first chamber 76, the floater 102 floats up and blocks the outlet 72, thereby preventing water supplied into the container 70 from being exhausted to the outside.
Since the water exhaustion preventing unit 84 including the floater 102 is encompassed by the division plate 80 formed by the first plate 94, the second plate 96, and the third plate 98, the mis-operation of the floater 102 due to sloshing of the water stored in the container 70 during a cleaning operation can be prevented.
Effects of the complex type cleaner according to the present invention will be explained as follows.
In the complex type cleaner according to the present invention, a vacuum cleaning function for sucking dust and a water cleaning function for sucking water by spraying cleaning water to a region to be cleaned are realized in one cleaner, thereby reducing the cost, enhancing the user's convenience, and facilitating to store the cleaner.
Also, the inside of the container is divided into the first chamber and the second chamber and the water exhaustion preventing unit is installed at the second chamber, thereby preventing the mis-operation of the floater of the water exhaustion preventing unit due to sloshing of the water stored in the container during a cleaning operation.
As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A complex type cleaner comprising:

a body having either a dust collecting container for storing dust and foreign materials or a water collecting container for storing contaminated water;

a fan motor installed at the body and generating a suction force to suck dust or water;

a suction head arranged at a lower side of the body, for sucking dust at the time of performing a vacuum-cleaning; and

a suction nozzle installed at the suction head, for sucking contaminated water at the time of performing a water cleaning, wherein the water collecting container is composed of:

a container mounted at the body and having a space for storing water;

a cover mounted at an upper surface of the container and having an outlet for exhausting air inside the container;

a division plate for dividing inside of the container into a first chamber and a second chamber, for introducing water stored in the second chamber to the first chamber when the water inside the second chamber is more than a certain level; and

a water exhaustion preventing unit arranged at the first chamber, for preventing water stored in the container from being exhausted through the outlet.

2. The complex type cleaner of claim 1, wherein the container is provided with a handgrip at an outer side surface thereof, and is provided with an inlet connected to the suction nozzle by a water suction hose at a lower side thereof.

3. The complex type cleaner of claim 2, wherein a guide passage for moving water introduced into the inlet to an upper portion of the container and then introducing the water into the container is formed at an inner side of the container.

4. The complex type cleaner of claim 3, wherein the guide passage is formed by a partition wall formed in the container in a vertical direction, a lower side of the guide passage is connected to the inlet, and an entrance through which water that has flowed up along the guide passage is introduced into the container is formed at an upper end of the guide passage.

5. The complex type cleaner of claim 1, wherein the division plate is composed of:

a first plate arranged in the container in a horizontal direction and formed as an arc shape;

a second plate extended from one side surface of the first plate in a vertical direction; and

a third plate extended from another side surface of the second plate in a vertical direction and forming the first chamber.

6. The complex type cleaner of claim 5, wherein an entrance through which water stored in the second chamber is introduced to the first chamber when a level of the water stored in the second chamber is more than a certain level is formed at an upper surface of the second plate.

7. The complex type cleaner of claim 1, wherein the water exhaustion preventing unit is composed of:

a floater housing positioned in the first chamber and connected to the outlet formed at the cover; and

a floater mounted at the floater housing to be movable up and down, for preventing water from being exhausted through the outlet by blocking the outlet by a buoyancy force when water reaches a certain level.

8. The complex type cleaner of claim 1, wherein the water exhaustion preventing unit is installed in the container to be inclined towards a front side of the body.

9. The complex type cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cover is composed of:

a body mounted at an upper surface of the container;

a tube connection portion formed at a center of an upper surface of the body and connected to an exhaustion tube connected to the fan motor; and

a guide chamber formed at a lower side of the body, for connecting the outlet formed at a lower surface of the body and the tube connection portion.

10. The complex type cleaner of claim 9, wherein a plate that comes in contact with the division plate is formed at a lower surface of the body.

11. The complex type cleaner of claim 9, wherein a connection portion downwardly extended from the outlet and inserted into the floater housing of the water exhaustion preventing unit is formed at a lower surface of the body.