Cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023180979-A1
Application number	US-202117924022-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 21, 2021
Priority date	Jun 1, 2020
Publication date	Jun 15, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cleaner is disclosed. A dust storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a winding member. The winding member rotates in the dust storage container to wind debris having a shape which is thin, long, and compressible, such as fur of an animal or fiber introduced into the dust storage container. Accordingly, a space occupied by the debris in the form of fur or fiber in the dust storage container is reduced. Therefore, the dust storage container can receive a large amount of debris so as to increase an operable time of the cleaner. Consequently, the convenience of a user can be improved.

First claim

1 . A cleaner comprising:
a housing having a collection space formed therein to accommodate collected dust or litter; and a winding member disposed in the collection space, wherein the housing comprises:
a plurality of walls surrounding the collection space; and
a suction portion formed through any one of the plurality of walls such that the collection space communicates with an outside, and
wherein the winding member extends from any one of the plurality of walls toward the collection space, such that the litter introduced into the collection space through the suction portion is wound around the winding member.

2 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the winding member is rotatably coupled to the one of the plurality of walls.

3 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
an exhaust portion formed through another one of the plurality of walls, such that the collection space communicates with the outside, and wherein the winding member is located closer to the exhaust portion than to the suction portion.

4 . The cleaner of claim 3 , wherein the suction portion and the exhaust portion are disposed to face each other with the collection space interposed therebetween, and
wherein the winding member is disposed between the suction portion and the exhaust portion.

5 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the one wall with the suction portion is formed such that an extension length in one direction is longer than an extension length in another direction, and
wherein the winding member is provided in plurality, disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the one direction.

6 . The cleaner of claim 5 , wherein a distance between one of the plurality of winding members and another winding member is different from a distance between the one winding member and still another winding member.

7 . The cleaner of claim 5 , wherein a distance between one of the plurality of winding members and another winding member is the same as a distance between the one winding member and still another winding member.

8 . The cleaner of claim 5 , wherein the winding member is provided by four in number, and any one pair of winding members among the four winding members is arranged adjacent to each other with being biased to one side in the one direction, and wherein another pair of winding members among the four winding members is arranged adjacent to each other with being biased to another side in the one direction.

9 . The cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising a gear unit located outside the housing and coupled to the winding member,
wherein the gear unit comprises:
a motor disposed at an outer side of the housing;
a transfer gear connected to the motor to be rotated together with the motor and rotatably coupled to the housing;
a rotation gear coupled to the transfer gear to be rotated together with the motor and the transfer gear, and rotatably coupled to the housing; and
a shaft member coupled to the rotation gear and the winding member, respectively, and rotatably coupled through the housing, and wherein the winding member is rotated when the motor is operated.

10 . The cleaner of claim 9 , wherein the winding member is provided in plurality, disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the collection space,
wherein each of the rotation gear and the shaft member is provided in plurality, wherein the plurality of shaft members is coupled to the plurality of winding members and the plurality of rotation gears, respectively, and wherein the plurality of rotation gears is gear-coupled with an adjacent transfer gear or an adjacent rotation gear, respectively.

11 . The cleaner of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of rotation gears is rotated in a direction opposite to the adjacent transfer gear or the adjacent rotation gear, and
wherein each of the plurality of winding members is rotated in the same direction as each of the plurality of rotation gears coupled by the shaft members.

12 . The cleaner of claim 9 , wherein the winding member is provided in plurality, disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the collection space, and
wherein the transfer gear is disposed between the plurality of rotation gears connected to the plurality of winding members, respectively.

13 . A cleaner comprising:
a main body provided with a container accommodating portion having an inner space; and a dust storage container inserted into or drawn out of the container accommodating portion to be attached to or detached from the main body, wherein the dust storage container comprises:
a housing having a collection space formed therein and communicating with an outside such that collected dust or litter is accommodated; and
a winding member disposed in the collection space,
wherein the housing comprises:
a plurality of walls surrounding the collection space; and
a cover detachably coupled to the plurality of walls to open or close the collection space, and
wherein the winding member extends from any one of the plurality of walls in a direction in which the cover is detached from the plurality of walls, such that the litter introduced into the collection space is wound around the winding member.

14 . The cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the cover of the dust storage container opens or closes one side of the collection space,
wherein the one wall on which the winding member is disposed is located opposite to the one side of the collection space, and wherein the winding member extends from the one wall to the one side of the collection space.

15 . The cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the housing of the dust storage container comprises:
a suction portion formed through another one of the plurality of walls and allowing the collection space to communicate with an outside such that the litter is introduced into the collection space; and an exhaust portion formed through still another one of the plurality of walls and allowing the collection space to communicate with the outside such that air introduced into the collection space is discharged, and wherein the winding member is disposed between the another wall and the still another wall of the plurality of walls.

16 . The cleaner of claim 15 , wherein the suction portion and the exhaust portion are disposed to face each other with the collection space interposed therebetween, and
wherein the winding member is disposed between the suction portion and the exhaust portion and extends toward the cover.

17 . The cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the winding member is rotated in one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction.

18 . The cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the winding member is rotated by a predetermined angle in one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction and then rotated in another direction of the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction in an alternating manner.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Sangchul
• Sun Changhwa
• Lee Seungyeop
• Ko Jungmin

Classifications

• A47L7/02

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

• A47L2201/04

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

• A47L7/0066 Primary

  adapted for removing nail dust, hair or the like · CPC title

• A47L9/14

  Bags or the like; {Rigid filtering receptacles;} Attachment of, or closures for, bags {or receptacles} · CPC title

• A47L9/1409 Primary

  Rigid filtering receptacles (dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683) · CPC title