Cleaning apparatus having vacuum cleaner and docking station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12004703-B2
Application number	US-202117319644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2021
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus including a vacuum cleaner and a docking station is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting chamber in which foreign substances are collected, and a docking station configured to be connected to the dust collecting chamber to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber. The dust collecting chamber is configured to collect foreign substances through centrifugation, and configured to be docked to the docking station, and the docking station includes a suction device configured to suction the foreign substances and air in the dust collecting chamber docked to the docking station.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning system comprising:
a vacuum cleaner comprising a dust collecting chamber capable of collecting foreign substances; and
a dust collecting station connectable to the vacuum cleaner and configured to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber,
wherein the dust collecting station comprises:
a seating portion comprising an opening configured to communicate with an inside of the dust collecting chamber, the dust collecting chamber being configured to be seated on the seating portion while the vacuum cleaner and the dust collecting station are connected;
a suction device configured to generate a suction airflow to discharge the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion, wherein a flow path is formed between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device while the suction airflow is generated;
a collecting portion arranged between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device, the collecting portion being configured to collect the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion; and
a flow path control device arranged adjacent to the opening, the flow path control device comprising a flow path cover positioned in the dust collecting station at a location where the vacuum cleaner connects with the dust collecting station, the flow path cover being configured to block at least a portion of the flow path while the vacuum cleaner and the dust collecting station are connected and while the suction device generates the suction airflow for discharging the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber of the vacuum cleaner to the collecting portion of the dust collecting station,

wherein the flow path control device includes a cover driver configured to move the flow path cover to block at least the portion of the flow path, and
wherein the cover driver comprises:
a drive motor configured to generate a driving force; and
a cover driving member configured to press a first side portion of the flow path cover by the driving force of the drive motor.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 ,
wherein the flow path cover includes a hinge disposed on a second side portion of the flow path cover opposite to the first side portion, and
wherein the flow path cover is further configured to rotate in the flow path around the hinge.

3. The cleaning system of claim 2 , wherein the flow path control device is configured to move a position of the flow path cover to selectively block at least the portion of the flow path such that the suction airflow within the dust collecting chamber changes based on the position of the flow path cover during operation of the suction device.

4. The cleaning system of claim 3 , wherein the flow path control device is further configured to selectively arrange the flow path cover in the flow path at a first position in which the flow path is closed, a second position in which the flow path is opened, or a third position in which the portion of the flow path is blocked to reduce an area opened by the flow path cover compared to when arranged at the second position.

5. The cleaning system of claim 4 , wherein the flow path control device is further configured to rotate the flow path cover in the flow path to the third position at least once during operation of the suction device.

6. The cleaning system of claim 3 , wherein the flow path control device is further configured to:
rotate the flow path cover in the flow path between a first position in which the flow path is closed and a second position in which the flow path is opened, and
selectively arrange the flow path cover at a third position located between the first position and the second position.

7. The cleaning system of claim 6 , wherein the flow path control device is further configured to rotate the flow path cover in the flow path to the third position at least once during operation of the suction device.

8. The cleaning system of claim 1 ,
wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a sensing portion arranged on the seating portion,
wherein the sensing portion is configured to output a signal in response to detecting the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion, and
wherein the dust collecting station is further configured to drive the suction device based on the signal output from the sensing portion.

9. The cleaning system of claim 8 , wherein the dust collecting station is further configured to drive the flow path control device based on the signal output from the sensing portion.

10. The cleaning system of claim 8 , wherein the sensing portion comprises a switch configured to detect a seating of the dust collecting chamber through on/off operations thereof.

11. The cleaning system of claim 1 ,
wherein the dust collecting chamber comprises:
a dust collecting chamber body having a cylindrical shape,
a dust collecting chamber door configured to open or close the dust collecting chamber body, and
a fixing member configured to:
fix the dust collecting chamber door to the dust collecting chamber body; and
release the fixing of the dust collecting chamber door in response to being pressed by an external force, and

wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a pressing part configured to press the fixing member such that the dust collecting chamber door is opened.

12. The cleaning system of claim 11 , wherein the suction device is further configured to be driven after the dust collecting chamber door is opened.

13. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the flow path control device is configured to variously change an internal airflow of the dust collecting chamber by changing a flow rate of an inside of the dust collecting chamber while the suction device generates the suction airflow.

14. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein, based on the blocking of the flow path, the suction airflow inside the dust collecting chamber is changed while the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber is discharged.

15. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the foreign substances are located outside of the dust collecting station until after the foreign substances pass the location of the flow path cover as part of the discharging of the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber.

16. A dust collecting station connectable to a dust collecting chamber of a vacuum cleaner and configured to remove foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber, the dust collecting station comprising:
a seating portion comprising an opening configured to communicate with an inside of the dust collecting chamber, the dust collecting chamber being configured to be seated on the seating portion while the vacuum cleaner and the dust collecting station are connected;
a suction device configured to generate a suction airflow to discharge the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion, wherein a flow path is formed between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device while the suction airflow is generated;
a collecting portion arranged between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device, the collecting portion being configured to collect the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion; and
a flow path control device arranged adjacent to the opening, the flow path control device including a flow path cover positioned in the dust collecting station at a location where

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim See Hyun
• Choi In Gyu
• Kwon Ki Hwan
• Kim Shin
• Kim Hyeon Cheol
• Lee Do Kyung
• Lee Hyun Ju
• Jang Yun Soo
• Cha Seung Ryong
• Han Jung Gyun

Classifications

• A47L9/2873 Primary

  Docking units or charging stations (for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02) · CPC title

• A47L9/0009

  Storing devices (winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26); Supports, stands or holders · CPC title

• A47L5/18

  with ejectors, e.g. connected to motor vehicle exhaust · CPC title

• A47L9/30

  Arrangement of illuminating devices · CPC title

• A47L9/2894

  Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners · CPC title