WO2022124782A1

WO2022124782A1 - Cleaner station

Info

Publication number: WO2022124782A1
Application number: PCT/KR2021/018504
Authority: WO
Inventors: 송현섭; 이승진; 하지우
Original assignee: 엘지전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2020-12-09
Filing date: 2021-12-08
Publication date: 2022-06-16
Also published as: KR20220081703A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaner station for suctioning and removing dust from inside a dust canister of a cleaner. A cleaner station according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a docking part on which a cleaner is mounted and docked; and a station main body connected to one side of the docking part, and suctioning dust from inside the dust canister, wherein the station main body can include: a housing in which a dust collection part for collecting dust is disposed; a suction tube coupled to the docking part, and suctioning the dust from inside the dust canister into the dust collection part; and a connecting tube coupled to the suction tube, and having a separate cleaning module, for extending the suction tube to the outside of the housing, disposed to be attachable/detachable thereto/therefrom.

Description

cleaner station

The present invention relates to a cleaner station provided to suck and remove dust inside a dust container of the cleaner.

In general, a vacuum cleaner is a household appliance that sucks small garbage or dust and fills a dust bin in a product by suctioning air using electricity, and is generally called a vacuum cleaner.

Such a vacuum cleaner may be divided into a manual cleaner in which the user directly moves the cleaner to perform cleaning, and an automatic cleaner in which the user performs cleaning while driving by themselves. Manual vacuum cleaners may be classified into canister-type cleaners, upright cleaners, handy-type cleaners, stick-type cleaners, and the like, depending on the type of cleaner.

In the past, canister-type vacuum cleaners were often used in household cleaners, but recently, a hand-held cleaner and a stick cleaner, which are convenient to use by providing a dust container and a cleaner body, are increasingly being used.

The canisty type vacuum cleaner is connected to the main body and the suction port by a rubber hose or pipe, and in some cases, it can be used by inserting a brush into the suction port.

The hand-held vacuum cleaner maximizes portability, and although it is light in weight, there may be restrictions on the cleaning area while sitting due to its short length. Therefore, it is used to clean localized places such as on a desk or sofa, or in a car.

The stick vacuum cleaner can be used while standing, so you can clean without bending your back. Therefore, it is advantageous for cleaning while moving a large area. If a hand-held vacuum cleaner cleans a narrow space, the stick-type vacuum cleaner can clean a wider space than that, and can clean a high place that cannot be reached by hand. Recently, a stick cleaner is provided in a module type, and the cleaner type is actively changed and used for various objects.

In addition, recently, a robot cleaner that cleans itself without a user's manipulation is commonly used. The robot vacuum cleaner automatically cleans the area to be cleaned by sucking foreign substances such as dust from the floor while driving in the area to be cleaned.

However, conventional stick cleaners and robot cleaners have a small capacity of a dust bin for storing the collected dust, so it is inconvenient for a user to empty the dust bin every time.

In this regard, as a prior patent document invented to treat dust collected by a robot cleaner, there is US Patent No. 10463215.

In the patent document of U.S. Patent No. 10463215, the base includes a base and a canister connected to the base, the base includes an inclined surface for accommodating the robot cleaner, and the inclined surface is provided with a discharge inlet disposed to be connected to the dust bin of the robot cleaner Disclosed is a discharge station configured to be

However, in the discharge station disclosed in US Patent No. 10463215, dust attached to the brush may come off around the base while the robot cleaner climbs an inclined surface for coupling with the discharge station. This builds up around the charging station. In addition, while the robot vacuum cleaner runs to clean under furniture such as sofas and beds, dust may accumulate on the outside of itself. Although the discharge station disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document can suck the dust of the dust bin accommodated in the inside of the robot cleaner through the discharge suction port, it cannot suck the dust accumulated on the robot cleaner itself and the charging stand of the robot cleaner, In order to hygienically manage the robot cleaner and the robot cleaner charging station, there is an inconvenience in that the user has to bring a separately stored hand stick cleaner to clean it.

Therefore, in the vacuum cleaner station provided to suction and remove dust from the dust bin of the robot cleaner, it is possible to easily remove the dust attached to the robot cleaner itself or the dust continuously accumulated around the cleaner station (around the charging station) while the robot cleaner is mounted. The structure needs to be developed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner station capable of sucking dust from the outside of the cleaner station by combining a separately provided cleaning module.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner station having a structure in which a flow path connected to the inside of a dust bin of the cleaner and a flow path connected to the outside of the cleaner station are selectively switched.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner station having a structure for storing a separately provided cleaning module therein.

In order to solve the above problems, a cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention is a cleaner station provided to suck and remove dust inside a dust bin of the cleaner, comprising: a docking unit to which the cleaner climbs and docks; and a station body connected to one side of the docking unit and sucking dust inside the dust bin, wherein the station body includes: a housing in which a dust collecting unit for collecting dust is disposed; a suction pipe coupled to the docking unit and configured to suck dust inside the dust bin into the dust collecting unit; and a connection pipe coupled to the suction pipe, wherein a separate cleaning module for extending the suction pipe to the outside of the housing is detachably disposed.

Here, the cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a connector cover disposed on the housing corresponding to the position of the connector tube and provided to open and close a partial area of the housing.

In this case, the connector may communicate with the outside of the housing when the connector cover is opened.

In addition, the connector may be coupled to the dust collecting unit.

In addition, the suction pipe may include: a first suction pipe having a longitudinal axis parallel to the long axis of the housing; and a second suction pipe connected to the first suction pipe and extending through the inner space of the docking unit to be connected to the dust container when the cleaner is docked in the docking unit; It may be coupled to the connector at the upper end so that the longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector.

Meanwhile, the cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a dust collecting motor disposed in the housing and generating a suction force so that the dust inside the dust bin is sucked through the suction pipe, wherein the cleaning module is disposed inside the connection pipe When inserted into and coupled to the dust collecting unit, the upper end of the suction pipe may be closed so that the suction power of the dust collecting motor is provided only to the cleaning module.

In addition, the cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a cleaning module receiving unit disposed in the housing and provided to store the cleaning module.

In this case, the cleaning module accommodating part may include: a accommodating part cover forming a portion of an outer shape of the housing; and a drawer unit coupled to the receiving unit cover and configured to be drawn out or retracted in a direction perpendicular to the long axis of the housing.

Here, the housing cover may include an inclined groove in which a partial area is recessed toward the inside of the housing.

Meanwhile, the drawer unit may be drawn out in a direction in which the connector cover is disposed.

In addition, the drawer unit may include: a drawer unit bottom plate defining a bottom surface of the drawer unit; and a cleaning module support wall connected to the drawer bottom plate and formed to be longer than a length of the cleaning module to support the cleaning module.

In addition, the drawer unit may further include a cleaning module holder that protrudes from the cleaning module support wall toward the inside of the drawer unit and extends.

Here, the cleaning module holder is provided with a fixing groove into which the cleaning module is inserted, the fixing groove, the fixing groove curved surface portion provided in the form of an arc to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning module; and a flat fixing groove extending toward the inside of the housing for a predetermined length from an end of the fixing groove curved portion.

According to the present invention, since the cleaning module is coupled to the connection pipe to suck dust from the outside of the cleaner station, the removal of dust attached to clothes. This can facilitate pet hair care or dust removal around a vacuum station.

Also, according to the present invention, the flow path connected to the inside of the dust bin of the cleaner and the flow path connected to the outside of the cleaner station can be selectively switched by simply coupling the cleaning module to the connector without additional parts. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the cleaner station and to simplify the structure and control of the cleaner station.

In addition, according to the present invention, the cleaning module can be stored inside the housing through the cleaning module accommodating part, so that user convenience can be increased. It can be managed more hygienically.

1 is a perspective view of a cleaner system including a station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a view showing a bottom surface of a cleaner coupled to a cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a perspective view illustrating a cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the cleaner station of FIG. 3 ;

5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a structure in which a dust container of a cleaner and a suction pipe are connected in a cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a view showing a state in which the connector cover is closed.

7 is a view showing an open state of the connector cover.

8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cleaning module is connected to the cleaning module connection part.

9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cleaning module receiving unit is drawn out in the cleaner station according to the embodiment of the present invention.

10 is an enlarged perspective view of the cleaning module housing of FIG. 9 alone.

11 is a view viewed from the top of the cleaning module receiving unit of FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Since the present invention can have various changes and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail in the detailed description. This is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be construed to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The terms used in the present application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression may include the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in a commonly used dictionary may be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and unless explicitly defined in the present application, it is interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. it may not be

1 is a perspective view of a cleaner system 1 including a station according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a cleaner 20 coupled to a cleaner station 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be.

1 and 2 , the cleaner system 1 may include a cleaner station 10 , a cleaner 20 , and a cleaning module 30 . On the other hand, in the present embodiment, it may be implemented except for some of these configurations, and additional configurations are not excluded.

The cleaner station 10 is a device configured to suction and remove dust inside the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 , and the cleaner 20 may be docked for this dust suction operation. In this case, the cleaner station 10 and the docked cleaner 20 may be a robot cleaner that autonomously travels and performs a cleaning operation.

The cleaner 20 can automatically clean the area to be cleaned by sucking foreign substances such as dust from the floor while driving the area to be cleaned by itself. The cleaner 20 may include a distance sensor that detects a distance to an obstacle, such as furniture, office supplies, or a wall, installed in the cleaning area, and left and right wheels for movement. The cleaner 20 may be docked or coupled to the cleaner station 10 . Dust sucked into the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 may be collected into the cleaner station 10 through a suction hole 113 to be described later.

The cleaner 20 may include a dust discharge hole 220 . In this case, the dust discharge hole 220 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 , through which the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 and the suction pipe 126 to be described later may communicate. For example, the dust discharge hole 220 may be in the form of a square hole.

The cleaner 20 may include a discharge cover 230 . In this case, the discharge cover 230 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the dust discharge hole 220 to close the dust discharge hole 220 . To this end, the discharge cover 230 may be disposed in the dust discharge hole 220 . In addition, one side of the discharge cover 230 may be fixed to the dust discharge hole 220 to form a fixed end, and the other side may form a free end. Through this configuration, when a suction force is generated toward the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 , the free end may move downward while the fixed end is fixed, and the dust discharge hole 220 may be opened. When the suction force toward the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 disappears, the free end of the discharge cover 230 may move upward to block the dust discharge hole 220 again. In this way, depending on the movement direction of the free end, the discharge cover 230 may communicate or close the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 and the suction pipe 126 .

The cleaner 20 may include a corresponding terminal 240 for charging the battery when docking the cleaner station 10 . The corresponding terminal 240 may be disposed at a position accessible to the charging terminal of the cleaner station 10 while the cleaner 20 is docked. For example, the corresponding terminals 240 may be disposed in a pair on the bottom surface of the cleaner 20 . When the corresponding terminal 240 and the charging terminal are electrically connected, power is supplied from the cleaner station 10 to the cleaner 20 to charge the cleaner 20 .

The cleaning module 30 is provided in an extended shape of a cylindrical tube and may be detachably coupled to the cleaner station 10 . The cleaning module 30 may refer to a cleaning tool provided as a separate additional nozzle for extending the suction pipe 126 to be described later to the outside of the housing 121 . A specific structure in which the cleaning module 30 is coupled to the cleaner station 10 will be described later.

One side of the cleaning module 30 may be provided with a structure that can be inserted into a connection pipe 128 to be described later, and the other side of the cleaning module 30 may be provided with a suction structure capable of sucking dust. In this case, the suction structure may be provided with a brush to suction dust through an operation of combing clothes, pet hair, and the like. In addition, at least a portion of the cleaning module 30 may be provided in the form of a corrugated pipe so that spatial movement is free in an area allowed by the length of the cleaning module 30 .

3 is a perspective view showing a cleaner station 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a front view of the cleaner station 10 of FIG. 3 , and FIGS. 5A and 5B are a cleaner station according to an embodiment of the present invention In (10), the dust container 210 and the suction pipe 126 of the cleaner 20 are connected to each other.

Before describing the specific configuration of the cleaner station 10 , let's first define a direction that will be mentioned throughout the specification. One side on which the cleaner 20 is docked to the cleaner station 10 may be defined as a front side. In addition, the opposite side of the front becomes the rear. Also, a direction parallel to the long axis A1 of the station body 120 may be defined as an up-down direction.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the cleaner station 10 will be specifically described.

The cleaner station 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a docking unit 110 and a station body 120 .

The docking unit 110 is configured to be docked by climbing the cleaner 20 . The cleaner 20 approaches from the front of the docking unit 110 , climbs the docking unit 110 , and may be seated on the upper surface of the docking unit 110 .

The upper surface of the docking unit 110 may be provided in a shape similar to the outer shape of the cleaner 20 . For example, it may be provided in a shape similar to a square. However, the shape of the docking unit 110 is not limited thereto, and may be provided in a shape that is not similar to the external shape of the cleaner 20 if necessary.

The docking unit 110 is a docking unit 110 by a side surface extending downward from the edge of the upper surface together with the upper surface on which the cleaner 20 climbs, and a lower surface in contact with the ground on which the cleaner station 10 is installed. of the inner space can be formed. As will be described later, a portion of the suction pipe 126 may be accommodated in the inner space of the docking unit 110 .

The docking unit 110 may include a rolling unit 111 through which a left wheel and a right wheel of the cleaner 20 pass when the cleaner 20 moves for docking. The cloud part 111 may be disposed at the left and right ends of the docking part 110 when the docking part 110 is viewed from the front as a reference. The distance between the left and right rolling parts 111 may correspond to the distance between the left wheel and the right wheel of the cleaner 20 so as to guide the movement of the left and right wheels of the cleaner 20 . In addition, the rolling part 111 may have a shape that is recessed downward from the upper surface of the docking part 110 so that the left and right wheels of the cleaner 20 do not deviate from a path when docking. That is, compared to other regions of the docking unit 110 adjacent to the cloud unit 111 , the cloud unit 111 may be defined as a downwardly concave region.

In addition, wheel seating parts 111a for supporting the left and right wheels of the cleaner 20 may be provided in the rolling part 111 so that the cleaner 20 does not move in a docked state. The wheel seating portion 111a may be defined as a concave region formed on a curved surface to surround and support the left and right wheels of the cleaner 20 on the rolling portion 111 .

The rolling portion 111 may be provided with a plurality of projections protruding upward at predetermined intervals on the upper surface. The plurality of protrusions may form irregularities on the rolling portion 111 to prevent sliding of the left wheel and the right wheel.

The docking unit 110 may include an inclined unit 112 disposed at the center of the docking unit 110 . The inclined portion 112 may be formed so that the upper surface of the docking portion 110 protrudes upward. The inclined portion 112 may be formed of a plurality of inclined surfaces having different inclinations, and the degree of inclination of each of the plurality of inclined surfaces may be determined according to the outer shape of the bottom surface of the cleaner 20 .

The docking unit 110 includes a suction hole 113 provided at a position corresponding to the position where the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 is disposed based on the state in which the cleaner 20 is docked to the docking unit 110 . can do. More specifically, the suction hole 113 may be disposed on the inclined portion 112 and may be disposed at a position corresponding to the position at which the dust discharge hole 220 of the cleaner 20 is disposed when the cleaner 20 is docked. can The suction hole 113 may be provided in a shape corresponding to the dust discharge hole 220 of the cleaner 20 . For example, the suction hole 113 may be in the form of a square hole.

The docking unit 110 may include a charging unit 114 that is electrically connected to the cleaner 20 and supplies power so that the cleaner 20 is charged. The charging unit 114 may include charging

terminals

114a and 114b provided one each on the left and right sides of the docking unit 110 when viewed from the front. When the cleaner 20 is docked in the docking unit 110, the corresponding terminal 240 of the cleaner 20 and the

charging terminals

114a and 114b are electrically connected, and the power module provided in the station body 120 ( 125 may supply power to the cleaner 20 to charge the cleaner 20 . The spacing between the left and

right charging terminals

114a and 114b may be substantially the same as the spacing between the corresponding terminals 240 of the cleaner 20 .

The station body 120 is connected to the docking unit 110 from one side of the docking unit 110 and is configured to suck dust from the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 to the inside. More specifically, the station body 120 may be connected to the rear of the docking unit 110 . In addition, the station body 120 may be provided in a shape protruding upward to form a long axis A1 that is disposed to extend in the vertical direction.

The station body 120 may include a housing 121 in which a dust collecting unit 122 for collecting dust is disposed. The housing 121 may include a main housing 1210 configured with a plurality of outer walls.

In this case, the main housing 1210 may accommodate and protect various parts in the inner space surrounded by the plurality of outer walls. In addition, the main housing 1210 may form the outer shape of the station body 120 through the plurality of outer walls. As an example, the main housing 1210 may have a shape similar to a square pillar. However, the outer shape of the main housing 1210 may be variously changed within a range capable of accommodating and protecting the parts by forming the internal space of the cleaner station 10 .

The station body 120 may further include a dust collecting unit 122 . As described above, the dust collecting part 122 may be accommodated in the housing 121 . The dust collecting unit 122 may be detachably coupled to the main housing 1210 .

The dust collecting unit 122 may be provided so that when a suction force is generated by the dust collecting motor 127 , the volume increases and the dust is accommodated therein. To this end, the dust collecting unit 122 may be made of a material that transmits air but does not transmit foreign substances such as dust. As an example, the dust collecting unit 122 may be made of a non-woven fabric, and may have a hexahedral shape when the volume is increased. (See FIG. 4 )

Meanwhile, the plurality of outer walls constituting the main housing 1210 may include an upper wall 1210a and a main body sidewall 1210b.

The upper wall 1210a may form an upper outer shape of the station body 120 . The upper wall 1210a may refer to a configuration including a surface that is disposed on the uppermost side in the long axis A1 direction of the station body 120 and is exposed to the outside. In this case, the upper wall 1210a may be disposed parallel to the ground, as well as inclined at a predetermined angle to the ground.

A portion of the upper wall 1210a may be opened and closed. For example, the station body 120 may include a dust collecting unit cover 123 . The dust collecting part 122 cover 123 may be arranged to open and close a portion of the upper wall 1210a to expose the dust collecting part 122 accommodated in the inner space of the main housing 1210 to the outside. With this configuration, since the dust collecting unit 122 can be separated from the inner space of the main housing 1210 , it is easy to replace the dust collecting unit 122 . That is, the dust collecting unit 122 may be defined as a consumable part.

The main body sidewall 1210b may form a side profile of the main housing 1210 . As an example, when the main housing 1210 is in the form of a square pillar, the main body sidewall 1210b may include a first main body sidewall 1211 disposed in the front, and in a state facing the first main body sidewall 1211, half It may further include a second body sidewall 1212 , a third body sidewall 1213 , and a fourth body sidewall 1214 arranged in a clockwise order (see FIG. 5A ).

The main body sidewall 1210b may be provided so that a partial area thereof can be opened and closed. As an example, the station body 120 may further include a HEPA filter cover 124 . The HEPA filter cover 124 may be disposed to open and close a partial area of the first body sidewall 1211 to expose the HEPA filter (not shown) accommodated in the inner space of the main housing 1210 to the outside. With this configuration, since the HEPA filter can be separated from the internal space of the main housing 1210, it is easy to replace or wash the HEPA filter.

The housing 121 may further include a connector housing 1220 .

The front side of the connector housing 1220 may be connected to the docking part 110 by being provided in a form in which the first main body sidewall 1211 is concavely bent to the rear to form a step. Through this configuration, a space in which the cleaner 20 is docked to the docking unit 110 can be further secured, and the entire length of the cleaner station 10 in the front-rear direction can be reduced, which is advantageous for space utilization. Both sides of the connector housing 1220 may be integrally formed with the second body sidewall 1212 and the fourth body sidewall 1214 , and the rear surface of the connector housing 1220 is integrally formed with the third body sidewall 1213 . can be The connector housing 1220 may form an inner space surrounded by the front surface, both sides, and the rear surface.

The station body 120 may further include a power module 125 . In this case, the power module may be accommodated in the inner space of the connector housing 1220 . Through this configuration, since the distance between the power module 125 and the charging unit 114 can be minimized, the electrical connection structure can be simplified.

The station body 120 may further include a suction pipe 126 .

The suction pipe 126 is coupled to the docking unit 110 and may serve as a flow path for sucking dust inside the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 into the dust collecting unit 122 . One end of the suction pipe 126 is coupled to the suction hole 113 of the docking unit 110 so that when the cleaner 20 is docked in the cleaner station 10, the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 and the suction pipe 126 are can be communicated.

The suction pipe 126 may include a first suction pipe 1261 and a second suction pipe 1262 . The first suction pipe 1261 may have a longitudinal axis parallel to the long axis A1 of the housing 121 (which may also be referred to as the long axis of the main housing 1210 or the long axis of the station body 120). (FIG. 4) The second suction pipe 1262 is connected to the first suction pipe 1261 and extends through the inner space of the docking unit 110. When the cleaner 20 is docked in the docking unit 110, the dust container of the vacuum cleaner 20 210 may be connected. The first suction pipe 1261 may be disposed in the inner space of the housing 121 .

The station body 120 may further include a dust collecting motor 127 .

The dust collecting motor 127 may be disposed inside the housing 121 . The dust collecting motor 127 may generate a suction force so that the dust inside the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 is sucked through the suction pipe 126 . More specifically, the dust collecting motor 127 may be disposed under the dust collecting unit 122 inside the main housing 1210 . When the dust collecting motor 127 is driven, a suction force from the dust collecting unit 122 to the dust collecting motor 127 may be generated. As described above, the lower end of the first suction pipe 1261 is connected to one end of the second suction pipe 1262 and the other end of the second suction pipe 1262 is connected to the dust discharge hole 220 of the docking unit 110 and Therefore, when the dust collecting motor 127 is driven, the dust inside the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 is sucked through the flow path leading to the connection pipe 128 , the first suction pipe 1261 , and the second suction pipe 1262 . can

Hereinafter, the connector 128 and the connector cover 129 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 .

The station body 120 may further include a connector 128 and a connector cover 129 .

6 is a view showing a state in which the connector cover 129 is closed, and FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the connector cover 129 is open.

The connection pipe 128 is coupled to the suction pipe 126 and the cleaning module 30 may be detachably disposed. More specifically, one end of the connecting pipe 128 may be coupled to the upper end of the first suction pipe 1261 and the other end of the connecting pipe 128 may be coupled to the dust collecting unit 122 . In addition, the other end of the connector 128 is coupled to a connector cover 129 to be described later, and when the connector cover 129 is opened, the connector 128 may communicate with the outside of the housing 121 . .

The connecting pipe 128 may be coupled to the first suction pipe 1261 such that the longitudinal axis L1 of the first suction pipe 1261 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L2 of the connecting pipe 128. ( 6 and 7) As an example, the shape of the connecting pipe 128 may be similar to that of a 'T'-shaped pipe, and the first opening 128a disposed at one end of the connecting pipe 128 in the horizontal direction. is coupled to the dust collecting part 122, the second opening 128b disposed at the other end in the horizontal direction is coupled to the connector cover 129, and the third opening 128c disposed at the lower end in the vertical direction is the first It may be coupled to the upper end of the suction pipe (1261).

The connection tube 128 may be provided to have an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the cleaning module 30 so that the cleaning module 30 can be inserted into the interior of the connection tube 128 . At this time, the size difference between the outer diameter of the cleaning module 30 and the inner diameter of the connector 128 may have only a minimum difference so that the outer diameter of the cleaning module 30 and the inner diameter of the connector 128 engage and fit. That is, the outer diameter of the cleaning module 30 and the inner diameter of the connection pipe 128 may be substantially the same.

The connector cover 129 is disposed on the housing 121 and may be disposed at a position corresponding to the position of the connector 128 . The connector cover 129 may be provided to open and close a partial region of the housing 121 , that is, a partial region of the housing 121 in which the connector 128 is disposed. For example, the connector cover 129 may be disposed on the second main body sidewall 1212 to be rotatably opened and closed. For example, the connector cover 129 may be coupled to a hinge disposed inside the housing 121 , and may be opened by rotating toward the outer upper portion of the housing 121 with the hinge as an axis.

Referring to FIG. 6 , when the connector cover 129 is in a closed state, the second opening 128b of the connector 128 is coupled to the connector cover 129 to be closed. The coupling of the second opening 128b to the connector cover 129 may include a case in which the second opening 128b directly contacts the connector cover 129 and is coupled or coupled through a separate configuration in the middle. have. For example, a sealing portion 129a provided to correspond to the size of the second opening 128b may be provided on the connector cover 129 , and the second opening 128b may be coupled to the sealing portion 129a to form the connector pipe. In a state in which the cover 129 is closed, the second opening 128b may be completely sealed. That is, in this case, the suction force caused by the driving of the dust collecting motor 127 may be provided only toward the inside of the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 (refer to the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 ).

Referring to FIG. 7 , when the connector cover 129 is in an open state, the second opening 128b of the connector 128 is exposed to the outside of the housing 121 so that the connector 128 is connected to the housing 121 . ) can be communicated with the outside of At this time, the cleaning module 30 may be coupled through the second opening 128b. More specifically, the cleaning module 30 is coupled to the connector 128 so that the longitudinal axis L2 of the connector 128 and the longitudinal axis of the cleaning module 30 are parallel to each other through the second opening 128b. can be When the cleaning module 30 is inserted into the connection pipe 128 , the inserted end of the cleaning module 30 may be connected to the dust collecting part 122 . At this time, the upper end of the first suction pipe 1261 is closed by the outer circumferential surface of the cleaning module 30 . That is, in this case, the suction force by the driving of the dust collecting motor 127 may be provided only to the cleaning module 30 (refer to the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7 ), and the suction force is not provided toward the inside of the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 . will not

Through this configuration, it is possible to have the effect of changing the flow path only by coupling the cleaning module 30 to the connection pipe 128 without additional parts such as a flow path switching valve. In other words, when the connector cover 129 is opened and the cleaning module 30 is coupled to the connector 128 , it moves from the inside of the dust container 210 of the cleaner 20 to the suction pipe 126 and the dust collecting unit 122 . The suction path (the first suction path, the path in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 ) of the dust to The path, the path in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7 ) may be opened. In addition, when the cleaning module 30 is separated from the connector 128 and the connector cover 129 is closed, the first suction path may be opened and the second suction path may be closed.

In addition, when the cleaning module 30 is coupled to the connector 128 while the connector cover 129 is open, dust may be sucked from the outside of the cleaner station 10 , so that the user can remove the dust attached to the clothes. . It is possible to easily manage pet hair or remove dust around the cleaner station 10 (refer to FIG. 8).

Hereinafter, the cleaning module accommodating unit 130 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 9 .

The station body 120 may further include a cleaning module receiving unit 130 .

9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cleaning module accommodating part 130 is drawn out in the cleaner station 10 which is an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the cleaning module accommodating part 130 of FIG. 9 alone. and FIG. 11 is a view of the cleaning module housing of FIG. 9 as viewed from the top.

The cleaning module receiving unit 130 may be disposed in the housing 121 and may be provided to store the cleaning module 30 . More specifically, the cleaning module accommodating part 130 is coupled to the accommodating part cover 131 and the accommodating part cover 131 forming a portion of the outer shape of the housing 121 in a direction perpendicular to the long axis of the housing 121 . It may include a drawer unit 132 that is provided to be withdrawn or retracted.

The housing cover 131 may include a first cover 131a and a second cover 131b. Here, the first cover 131a and the second cover 131b may be connected to form a substantially vertical edge, and the cleaning module receiving unit 130 is drawn into the housing 121 at the edge of the housing 121 . It may be disposed in the region to form a portion of the outer shape of the housing 121 .

In addition, the receiving part cover 131 may include an inclined groove 131c in which a partial area is recessed toward the inside of the housing 121 . The inclined groove 131c may be disposed on the lower side of the first cover 131a so that the user can take out the drawer unit 132 while holding it by hand. The inclined groove 131c may be inclined toward the front upper portion so that a user can easily take out the drawer 132 by putting a hand into the inclined groove 131c.

Meanwhile, the drawer unit 132 may be drawn out in a direction in which the connector cover 129 is disposed. Through this configuration, the operation of pulling out the drawer unit 132 to take out the cleaning module 30, the operation of opening the connector cover 129, and the operation of coupling the cleaning module 30 to the connector can be performed in one direction. Therefore, the user's movement is minimized and the convenience of using the cleaning module 30 can be increased.

The drawer unit 132 is connected to the drawer bottom plate 1321 and the drawer bottom plate 1321 defining the bottom surface of the drawer unit 132 , and is connected to the cleaning module 30 together with the drawer bottom plate 1321 . ) may include a plurality of drawer side walls 1322 forming a storage space for storing. More specifically, the drawer sidewall 1322 includes a first drawer sidewall 1322a connected to the first cover 131a, a second drawer sidewall 1322b connected to the first drawer sidewall 1322a, and a second drawer sidewall 1322b connected to the first drawer sidewall 1322a. A third drawer sidewall 1322c connected to the second drawer sidewall 1322b may be included.

In this case, the first drawer sidewall 1322a may be disposed at the front, and the third drawer sidewall 1322c may be disposed at the rear. At least one of the side walls of the drawer unit 1322 may be formed to have a height of a partial area longer than the length of the cleaning module 30 . The drawer side wall 1322 having a length longer than the length of the cleaning module 30 may serve to support the cleaning module 30 to lean against the inside of the housing 121 . In this embodiment, the third drawer side wall 1322c may correspond to this. In this case, the partial area 1322cc may also be referred to as a cleaning module support wall 1322cc.

The cleaning module support wall 1322cc may be connected to the inner surface of the second cover 131b. Referring to FIG. 11 , the outer surface of the cleaning module support wall 1322cc may form a step toward the inside of the housing 121b with respect to the inner surface of the second cover 131b. The formed end may be formed by substantially contacting the outer surface of the cleaning module support wall 1322cc and the inner surface of the second cover 131b. At this time, the depth of the formed stage is, the cleaning module support wall 1322cc is introduced into the housing 121, and the second cover 131b is the third main body side wall 1213 of the main housing 1210 together with the station body. It may be formed to have a thickness greater than or equal to the thickness of the third main body sidewall 1213 to form an external shape. Through this configuration, the cleaning module support wall 1322cc can be introduced into the housing 121 so as not to be seen from the outside of the station body 120 , and the second cover 121 is naturally a part of the exterior of the station body 120 . can form. In this case, there is no configuration to protrude to the rear of the housing 121 , so that when the cleaner station 10 is installed, it is possible to increase the utilization of the space on the rear side. In addition, since the drawer unit 132 is completely drawn into the housing 121 , the cleaning module 30 with foreign substances attached to it is not exposed to the outside of the station body 120 , thereby reducing user discomfort.

On the other hand, as described above, some areas (cleaning module support wall, 1322cc) of the drawer side wall 1322 are formed to have a height longer than the length of the cleaning module 30 , and the rest are formed to have a lower height than the storage unit cover 131 . can be That is, the plurality of sidewalls 1322 of the drawer unit may be formed to have different heights. Through this configuration, when the drawer unit 132 is drawn into the housing 121 , it is possible to increase the utilization of the upper space of the side wall 1322 of the drawer unit having a lower height than the storage unit cover 131 .

The drawer unit 132 may further include a cleaning module holder 1323 .

The cleaning module holder 1323 may be coupled in a protruding form from the third drawer side wall 1322c. The cleaning module holder 1323 may be provided in a form that can wrap and fix the cleaning module 30 . More specifically, the cleaning module holder 1323 may be configured to protrude from the cleaning module support wall 1322cc toward the inside of the drawer 132 and extend, so that the cleaning module 30 can be inserted and fixed. A fixing groove 1323a may be provided. (See FIG. 11 ) One end of the cleaning module holder 1323 may be connected to the inner surface of the housing cover 131 .

The fixing groove 1323a may include a fixing groove curved portion 1323aa and a fixing groove flat portion 1323ab. The fixed groove curved portion 1323aa may be provided in the form of an arc to surround the outer circumferential surface of the cleaning module 30 , and may be provided to form a curvature corresponding to the curved surface formed by the outer diameter of the cleaning module 30 . In addition, the fixed groove flat portion 1323ab is connected at the end of the fixed groove curved portion 1323aa and extends toward the inside of the housing 121 by a predetermined length so that the cleaning module 30 can be sufficiently inserted and supported. have. The fixing groove 1323a is fixed to prevent the cleaning module 30 from collided with the edge of the fixing groove 1323a and damaged when the user inserts the cleaning module 30 into the fixing groove 1323a. A fixing groove inclined portion 1323ac formed to be inclined toward an inner side of the fixing groove 1323a may be further included at an end of the grooved flat portion 1323ab.

The drawer unit 132 may further include a rib 1324 coupled to the cleaning module holder 1323 to support the cleaning module holder 1323 . The rib 1324 may be disposed at one end of the cleaning module holder 1323 is not connected to the housing cover 131 .

The cleaning module holder 1323 may be disposed at a position spaced apart from the drawer bottom plate 1321 by an appropriate distance to stably support the cleaning module 30 .

On the other hand, the cleaning module 30 can be stored inside the housing 121 through the cleaning module accommodating part 130 configured as described above, as well as the cleaning module ( 30) can be taken out and used, so that the cleaner 20 and the cleaner station 10 can be more hygienically managed.

In addition, since the housing cover 131 is configured to form the outer shape of the housing 121 and the drawer part 132 is configured to be completely retracted into the housing 121 , the cleaning module 30 is not exposed to the outside, so it is aesthetically pleasing. It is neat and can reduce the discomfort of the user, and the cleaning module 30 can be combined with the connector and stored immediately after use, thereby preventing loss.

After the cleaning module 30 is used, the contaminant such as dust may be stuck in a state in which it is not removed. These pollutants may come out from the cleaning module 30 while the cleaning module 30 is stored. As in the embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning module receiving part 130 having a structure in which the drawer part 132 is drawn out is adopted. When the cleaning module 30 can be stored in the drawer unit 132 , pollutants that fall off during storage of the cleaning module 30 do not flow into the interior of the housing 121 and are collected in the storage space of the drawer unit 132 . . In addition, these pollutants collected in the drawer unit 132 can be easily removed by a user pulling out the drawer unit 132 . That is, there is an advantage that the cleaner station 10 can be managed more hygienically compared to the case where the cleaning module 30 is directly put inside the housing 121 and stored.

In the foregoing, a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and those skilled in the art may change to other specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be understood that modifications and variations are possible. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should not be defined by the described embodiments, but should be defined by the technical idea described in the claims.

Claims

In the vacuum cleaner station provided to suction and remove dust inside the dust bin of the cleaner,

a docking unit to which the cleaner climbs and docks; and

a station body connected to one side of the docking unit and through which dust inside the dust bin is sucked;

The station body,

a housing in which a dust collecting unit for collecting dust is disposed;

a suction pipe coupled to the docking unit and configured to suck dust inside the dust bin into the dust collecting unit; and

A cleaner station comprising a; a connection pipe coupled to the suction pipe, a separate cleaning module for extending the suction pipe to the outside of the housing is detachably disposed.
According to claim 1,

The cleaner station further comprising a connector cover disposed on the housing corresponding to the position of the connector and provided to open and close a partial area of the housing.
3. The method of claim 2,

The connector is

When the connector cover is opened, the cleaner station is in communication with the outside of the housing.
According to claim 1,

The connection pipe is a cleaner station, characterized in that coupled to the dust collecting unit.
According to claim 1,

The suction pipe is

a first suction pipe having a longitudinal axis parallel to the long axis of the housing; and

a second suction pipe connected to the first suction pipe and extending through the inner space of the docking unit to be connected to the dust container when the cleaner is docked to the docking unit;

The first suction pipe is a cleaner station, characterized in that it is coupled to the connection pipe at an upper end so that a longitudinal axis of the first suction pipe is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connection pipe.
According to claim 1,

and a dust collecting motor disposed in the housing and generating a suction force so that the dust inside the dust bin is sucked through the suction pipe,

When the cleaning module is inserted into the connection tube and coupled to the dust collection unit, the upper end of the suction tube is closed so that the suction force of the dust collecting motor is provided only to the cleaning module.
According to claim 1,

The cleaner station further comprising; a cleaning module receiving unit disposed in the housing and provided to store the cleaning module.
8. The method of claim 7,

The cleaning module receiving unit,

a receiving part cover forming a portion of the outer shape of the housing; and

and a drawer unit coupled to the housing cover and configured to be drawn out or retracted in a direction perpendicular to the long axis of the housing.
9. The method of claim 8,

The storage unit cover,

A cleaner station including a; an inclined groove formed by recessing a partial area toward the inside of the housing.
9. The method of claim 8,

The connector further includes a connector cover disposed on the housing corresponding to the position of the connector and provided to open and close a portion of the housing,

The drawer unit is a cleaner station, characterized in that drawn out in a direction in which the connector cover is arranged.
9. The method of claim 8,

The drawer unit,

a drawer bottom plate defining a bottom surface of the drawer; and

A cleaner station including a; a cleaning module support wall connected to the bottom plate of the drawer unit and formed to be longer than a length of the cleaning module to support the cleaning module.
12. The method of claim 11,

The drawer unit,

The cleaner station further comprising a cleaning module holder protruding from the cleaning module support wall toward the inside of the drawer unit.
13. The method of claim 12,

The cleaning module holder is provided with a fixing groove into which the cleaning module is inserted,

The fixing groove is

a fixed groove curved surface portion provided in an arc shape to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning module; and

and a fixed groove flat portion extending toward the inside of the housing for a predetermined length from an end of the fixed groove curved portion.