Vacuum cleaner and handle for a cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10470634-B2
Application number	US-201715643889-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2017
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

In order to accomplish a solution task of the present disclosure, a cleaner hand according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a pipe configured to transfer at least one of air, dust, and foreign matter to a drive unit that generates a suction force, a grip portion connected to the pipe, and formed to be gripped by a user, a sensor unit disposed in the grip portion to sense information related to whether or not the grip portion is gripped by the user, and a controller configured to control the drive unit based on the sensed information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaner handle, comprising:
a pipe configured to transfer at least one of air, dust, and foreign matter to a drive unit that generates a suction force;
a grip portion connected to the pipe, and formed to be gripped by a user;
a sensor unit disposed in the grip portion to sense information related to whether or not the grip portion is gripped by the user; and
a controller configured to control the drive unit based on the sensed information,
wherein the sensor unit comprises:
a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a part of an outer surface of the grip portion, and
a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure applied to a part of the outer surface of the grip portion, and
the controller operates the drive unit when the sensed temperature is above a reference temperature value and the sensed pressure is above a reference pressure value, controls the pressure sensor to sense the pressure applied to the part of the outer surface of the grip portion at regular cycles when the sensed temperature is above the reference temperature value, compares a pressure sensed in a current cycle with a pressure sensed in a previous cycle, and controls the drive unit based on the comparison result.

2. The cleaner handle of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed temperature is above the reference temperature value.

3. The cleaner handle of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed temperature is within a reference temperature range.

4. The cleaner handle of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed pressure is above the reference pressure value.

5. The cleaner handle of claim 4 , wherein the controller determines that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed pressure is within a reference pressure range.

6. The cleaner handle of claim 1 , wherein the controller operates the drive unit when it is determined that the user grips the grip portion, and stops the drive unit if it is determined that the user does not grip the grip portion.

7. The cleaner handle of claim 1 , wherein the controller increases an output of the drive unit when the pressure sensed in the current cycle is greater than the pressure sensed in the previous cycle, and decreases an output of the drive unit when the pressure sensed in the current cycle is less than the pressure sensed in the previous cycle.

8. A cleaner, comprising:
a cleaner body;
a drive unit disposed in the cleaner body to generate a suction force;
a pipe configured to transfer at least one of air, dust and foreign matter to the drive unit;
a dust collector disposed in the cleaner body to filter dust in air transferred from the pipe;
a grip portion connected to the pipe, and formed to be gripped by a user;
a sensor unit disposed in the grip portion to sense information related to whether or not the grip portion is gripped by the user; and
a controller configured to control the drive unit based on the sensed information,
wherein the sensor unit comprises:
a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a part of an outer surface of the grip portion, and
a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure applied to a part of the outer surface of the grip portion, and
the controller operates the drive unit when the sensed temperature is above a reference temperature value and the sensed pressure is above a reference pressure value, controls the pressure sensor to sense the pressure applied to the part of the outer surface of the grip portion at regular cycles when the sensed temperature is above the reference temperature value, compares a pressure sensed in a current cycle with a pressure sensed in a previous cycle, and controls the drive unit based on the comparison result.

9. The cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the controller determines that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed temperature is above the reference temperature value, and operates the drive unit.

10. The cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the controller determines that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed pressure is above the reference pressure value, and operates the drive unit.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ham Dukho
• Han Seonghoon

Classifications

• A47L9/102

  Dust separators (cyclones A47L9/16) · CPC title

• A47L9/327

  for suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing · CPC title

• A47L9/2842 Primary

  Suction motors or blowers · CPC title

• A47L9/2805

  Parameters or conditions being sensed · CPC title

• A47L9/325 Primary

  for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle · CPC title