Station for cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433459-B2
Application number	US-202118029818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2021
Priority date	Oct 8, 2020
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A cleaner station includes: a housing; a dust collecting motor configured to generate a suction force for sucking dust in a dust bin of a cleaner; a dust collecting part disposed at an upper side in a gravitational direction of the dust collecting motor; a coupling part including a coupling surface to which the cleaner is coupled; and a fixing unit configured to fix the cleaner when the cleaner is coupled to the coupling part, thereby allowing a user to seal the cleaner without applying a separate force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cleaner station comprising:
a housing;
a dust collecting motor disposed in the housing and configured to generate a suction force for suctioning dust from a dust bin of a cleaner;
a dust collecting part disposed in the housing and configured to receive the dust from the dust bin;
a coupling part that is disposed in the housing and defines a coupling surface configured to couple to the cleaner; and
a fixing unit configured to fix the cleaner based on the cleaner being coupled to the coupling part,
wherein the fixing unit comprises:
a fixing part motor configured to generate rotational force, and
a fixing member configured to, based on operation of the fixing part motor, move toward the dust bin from an outside of the dust bin, and

wherein the fixing unit is configured to convert the rotational force of the fixing part motor into a linear motion to thereby move the fixing member toward the dust bin.

2. The cleaner station of claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises:
a first power transmission member coupled to the fixing part motor and configured to rotate based on the rotational force of the fixing part motor; and
a second power transmission member configured to linearly move based on rotation of the first power transmission member.

3. The cleaner station of claim 2 , wherein the first power transmission member comprises:
a cam main body coupled to a shaft of the fixing part motor; and
a connection rod inserted into and coupled to the second power transmission member, and
wherein the connection rod protrudes from the cam main body and is spaced apart from a rotation axis of the cam main body.

4. The cleaner station of claim 3 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises a fixing part casing that is coupled to the second power transmission member and configured to guide a linear movement of the second power transmission member, and
wherein the second power transmission member comprises:
a cam coupling portion movably coupled to the cam main body; and
a guide portion that extends from the cam coupling portion and is coupled to the fixing part casing.

5. The cleaner station of claim 4 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises:
a link arm that connects the second power transmission member to the fixing member; and
a connection pin connected to the link arm,
wherein the guide portion comprises a guide portion main body that defines a pin coupling hole receiving the connection pin, and
wherein an end of the connection pin is inserted into and coupled to the pin coupling hole.

6. The cleaner station of claim 2 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises a fixing part casing coupled to the second power transmission member and configured to guide a linear movement of the second power transmission member, and
wherein the fixing part casing comprises:
a casing main body that defines a cam accommodation hole that accommodates at least a part of the first power transmission member; and
a guide rod that protrudes from the casing main body, the guide rod being inserted into and coupled to the second power transmission member.

7. The cleaner station of claim 6 , wherein the fixing part casing further comprises:
a lower stopper that protrudes from the casing main body and defines a first level difference with respect to the casing main body, the lower stopper being disposed at a lower side of the second power transmission member in a gravitational direction;
an upper stopper that protrudes from the casing main body and defines a second level difference with respect to the casing main body, the upper stopper being disposed at an upper side of the second power transmission member in a direction opposite to the gravitational direction; and
a guide rib that protrudes from the casing main body and connects the lower stopper and the upper stopper to each other.

8. The cleaner station of claim 2 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises:
a link arm rotatably coupled to the fixing member and configured to move the fixing member based on a linear movement of the second power transmission member; and
a connection pin connected to the link arm, and
wherein the link arm comprises an arm main body, the arm main body having (i) a first coupling hole defined at a first end of the arm main body and coupled to the connection pin and (ii) a second coupling hole defined at a second end of the arm main body and coupled to the fixing member.

9. The cleaner station of claim 2 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises a fixing part link connected to the second power transmission member and the fixing member.

10. The cleaner station of claim 9 , wherein the second power transmission member comprises:
a gear frame that defines first gear teeth configured to engage with the first power transmission member; and
a second power transmission member pin that protrudes from the gear frame and is rotatably coupled to the fixing part link.

11. The cleaner station of claim 10 , wherein the gear frame defines a spring accommodation groove that accommodates a spring configured to extend in a gravitational direction.

12. The cleaner station of claim 9 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises a third power transmission member configured to engage with the first power transmission member and to convert the rotational force of the fixing part motor into a linear movement of the second power transmission member, the third power transmission member being configured to guide the linear movement of the second power transmission member.

13. The cleaner station of claim 12 , wherein the second power transmission member further comprises:
a gear frame that defines first gear teeth configured to engage with the first power transmission member; and
a guide rib that extends from the gear frame and is coupled to the third power transmission member, and
wherein the third power transmission member is configured to move along the guide rib.

14. The cleaner station of claim 12 , wherein the third power transmission member comprises:
a guide rail that accommodates the second power transmission member and is configured to guide the linear movement of the second power transmission member; and
second gear teeth that protrude from the guide rail and configured to engage with the first power transmission member.

15. The cleaner station of claim 12 , wherein the fixing unit further comprises a support frame coupled to the third power transmission member and configured to guide the linear movement of the second power transmission member.

16. The cleaner station of claim 9 , wherein the coupling part further comprises sidewalls disposed at opposite sides of the coupling surface and connected to the coupling surface, the sidewalls protruding relative to the coupling surface and defining a fixing member entrance hole configured to receive the fixing member,
wherein the fixing unit further comprises a fixing part casing coupled to the sidewalls, and
wherein the fixing member is rotatably coupled to the fixing part casing and configured to insert into and move out of the fixing member entrance hole.

17. The cleaner station of claim 16 , wherein the fixing part casing comprises a shutter configured to open and close the fixing member entrance hole.

18. The cleaner station of claim 1 , wherein the fixing member comprises:
a sealing frame configured to move toward the dust bin from the outside of the dust bin;
a hinge portion disposed at an end portion of the sealing frame and rotatably coupled to the housing; and
a first press

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Hyunwoo
• Lee Dongjae
• Jeong Yeonghan
• Shin Jinhyouk
• Kim Sungjun

Classifications

• A47L9/2873

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

• A47L9/28

  Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means · CPC title

• A47L9/0063

  External storing devices; Stands, casings or the like for the storage of suction cleaners · CPC title

• A47L2201/024

  Emptying dust or waste liquid containers · CPC title

• A47L9/0009 Primary

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