Cleaning unit comprising agitator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12303092-B2
Application number	US-202017597930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2020
Priority date	Jul 30, 2019
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed is a cleaning unit comprising a variable brush portion. The cleaning unit according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a shaft capable of reciprocating along an axial direction, wherein a first cam protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft. In addition, the brush portion is arranged on the outer circumferential surface of a body member surrounding the shaft, and the brush portion includes a second cam engaged with the first cam. When the shaft is moved in the axial direction, the first cam pushes the second cam in a radial direction, whereby the brush portion may protrude in the radial direction. That is, as the shaft reciprocates in the axial direction, the length of the brush portion protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the body member may vary.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning unit comprising:
a power module;
a body part rotatably connected to the power module and includes a first through-hole defined in an outer circumferential surface thereof;
a shaft that is inserted into a hollow hole of the body part in a lengthwise direction of the body part and performs a reciprocating motion in the body part in the length wise direction of the body part;
a brush assembly in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the body part along the lengthwise direction of the body part;
a first cam extending from a surface of the brush assembly in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the body part toward an outer circumferential surface of the shaft through the first through-hole; and
a second cam extending from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft toward the first cam,
wherein one of the first cam and the second cam is provided at one side thereof with an inclined surface that is inclined along the length wise direction of the body part, and
wherein a remaining one of the first cam and the second cam presses the inclined surface as the shaft performs the reciprocating motion, so that the brush assembly moves upward and downward in a radial direction of the shaft.

2. The cleaning unit of claim 1 , wherein the body part comprises:
a body member provided with the first through-hole and having a hollow shape with both ends open;
a first end cap that is inserted into the body member from one end of the body member by a predetermined length so as to cover the one end of the body member and accommodates one side of the shaft; and
a second end cap that is inserted into the body member from another end of the body member by a predetermined length so as to cover the another end of the body member and accommodates another side of the shaft.

3. The cleaning unit of claim 2 , wherein the brush assembly comprises:
a brush; and
a brush holder that is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the body member in a lengthwise direction of the shaft, and has one side thereof provided with the first cam and another side thereof coupled to the brush.

4. The cleaning unit of claim 3 , wherein the body member is provided with an accommodation groove in which the brush holder is accommodated along the lengthwise direction of the shaft,
wherein the first end cap covers one end of the accommodation groove,
wherein the second end cap covers another end of the accommodation groove,
wherein each of the first end cap and the second end cap is provided with a radial guide groove, the radial guide grooves formed on a surface of the first end cap that covers the one end of the accommodation groove and a surface that covers the another end of the accommodation groove, respectively,
wherein the brush holder is provided with radial guide protrusions formed on a surface opposite to the first end cap and a surface opposite to the second end cap, respectively, and
wherein the radial guide protrusions are inserted into the radial guide grooves, respectively, so as to be guided in the radial direction of the shaft.

5. The cleaning unit of claim 2 , wherein a cavity is recessed from one side of the first end cap toward the body member, and a guide hole is defined in another side of the first end cap to accommodate an end portion of the one side of the shaft so as to guide the end portion of the one side of the shaft to the cavity.

6. The cleaning unit of claim 5 , wherein the end portion of the one side of the shaft and the guide hole each have a polygonal column shape to be engaged with each other.

7. The cleaning unit of claim 6 , further comprising a power transmission unit having one side connected to the power module and another side inserted into the cavity,
wherein the cavity and the another side of the power transmission unit each have a polygonal column shape to be engaged with each other.

8. The cleaning unit of claim 2 , wherein a cavity is recessed from one side of the second end cap toward the body member, and a guide hole is defined in another side of the second end cap to accommodate the another side of the shaft to allow the another side of the shaft to protrude to the cavity, so as to support the another side of the shaft in the radial direction of the shaft.

9. The cleaning unit of claim 8 , further comprising a shaft accommodating part that includes an accommodation space in which an end portion of the another side of the shaft is accommodated and a bearing that is inserted between an outer circumferential surface of the end portion of the another side of the shaft and an inner circumferential surface of the accommodation space.

10. The cleaning unit of claim 9 , wherein the power module comprises:
a first power module configured to rotate the shaft;
a second power module that is connected to the shaft accommodating part and is configured to press the shaft accommodating part according to operation information;
a sensor connected to the first power module to detect a current value of the first power module; and
a controller that is configured to calculate the operation information, is electrically connected to the second power module to transmit the calculated operation information to the second power module, and is electrically connected to the sensor to receive the current value of the first power module, and
wherein the controller calculates the operation information using the detected current value of the first power module.

11. The cleaning unit of claim 10 , wherein the operation information includes first operation information and second operation information,
wherein the second power module is configured to:
stop upon receiving the first operation information; and
press the shaft accommodating part at a predetermined pressure upon receiving the second operation information, and
wherein the controller is configured to:
calculate the first operation information when the detected current value of the first power module is less than a first value; and
calculate the second operation information when the detected current value of the first power module is greater than or equal to the first value.

12. The cleaning unit of claim 10 , wherein the operation information includes first operation information, second operation information, and third operation information,
wherein the second power module is configured to:
stop upon receiving the first operation information;
press the shaft accommodating part at a first pressure upon receiving the second information; and
press the shaft accommodating part at a second pressure upon receiving the third information,
wherein the controller is configured to:
calculate the first operation information when the detected current value of the first power module is less than a first value,
calculate the second operation information when the detected current value of the first power module is greater than or equal to the first value; and
calculate the third operation information when the detected current value of the first power module is greater than or equal to a second value, and
wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure, and the second value is greater than the first value.

13. The cleaning unit of claim 10 , wherein the first power module is a servo motor configured to generate a rotational force, and
the second power module is a linear servo motor configured to apply pressure in a specific direction.

14. The cleaning unit of claim 1 , wherein a second through-hole is defined in the outer circumferential surface of the body part, and
wherein the brush assembly i

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Hong woo
• Lee Sangik
• Park Jongho

Classifications

• A47L2201/04

  Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection · CPC title

• A47L9/2847

  Surface treating elements · CPC title

• A47L9/2805

  Parameters or conditions being sensed · CPC title

• A47L9/0494 Primary

  Height adjustment of dust-loosening tools · CPC title

• A47L7/02

  with driven tools for special purposes (with floor-polishing tools A47L11/20) · CPC title