U.S. patent application number 11/317279 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-28 for vacuum cleaner having wet cleaning function.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG GWANGJU ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Soon-tack Lim, Jang-keun Oh.
Application Number | 20060288517 11/317279 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36060862 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060288517 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oh; Jang-keun ; et
al. |
December 28, 2006 |
Vacuum cleaner having wet cleaning function
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function comprises a main
body, a brush assembly having a contaminant suction port facing a
cleaning surface, a brush of the contaminant suction port to rotate
in contact with the cleaning surface, and a water exhaust nozzle,
the contaminants suction port is fluidly communicated with the main
body, and a front and a rear block parts formed at a front and a
rear of the brush on a bottom surface of the brush assembly to
selectively open or block a contaminant suction path by a friction
force against the cleaning surface.
Inventors: |
Oh; Jang-keun;
(Gwangju-city, KR) ; Lim; Soon-tack;
(Kyungsangnam-do, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Paul D. Greeley, Esq.;Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, L.L.P.
10th Floor
One Landmark Square
Stamford
CT
06901-2682
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG GWANGJU ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
|
Family ID: |
36060862 |
Appl. No.: |
11/317279 |
Filed: |
December 23, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/320 ;
15/401 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 11/4044 20130101;
A47L 11/4088 20130101; A47L 7/0009 20130101; A47L 11/4041 20130101;
A47L 9/04 20130101; A47L 11/405 20130101; A47L 11/4094 20130101;
A47L 11/30 20130101; A47L 11/34 20130101; A47L 5/225 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/320 ;
015/401 |
International
Class: |
A47L 11/30 20060101
A47L011/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 22, 2005 |
KR |
10-2005-0054071 |
Claims
1. A vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function, comprising: a
main body; a brush assembly having a contaminant suction port, a
brush, and a water exhaust nozzle, the contaminant suction port
facing a cleaning surface and defining a contaminate suction path,
the brush rotating in contact with the cleaning surface, the
contaminant suction port being in fluid communication with the main
body; and a front and a rear block parts formed at a front and a
rear of the brush assembly on a bottom surface of the brush
assembly to selectively open or block the contaminant suction path
by a friction force against the cleaning surface.
2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein as one of the
front block part and the rear block part opens the contaminant
suction path, the other blocks the contaminant suction path.
3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the front block
part opens the contaminant suction path as the brush assembly moves
forward.
4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the front block
part rotates a certain degree by a friction force against the
cleaning surface to selectively open or block the contaminant
suction path according to the rotated degree.
5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the front block
part comprises: a block board taking on a configuration of plate to
block the contaminant suction path of the front of the brush
assembly; a rotation axis formed at opposite ends of the block
board and rotatably attached to the brush assembly; and a rotation
protrusion provided in a sector form at a side of the block board
and of which an arc portion is extended from a leading end of the
block board so that as the arc portion contacts the cleaning
surface, the leading end of the block board distances from the
cleaning surface.
6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the rear block
part comprises: a head part fixed in a rear block part receiving
groove of the brush assembly; and a rear block board having a plane
surface and a protrusion surface with a consecutive plurality of
protrusions of a regular interval, a part of each leading end of
the plane surface or the protrusion surface is selectively pressed
against the cleaning surface according to a movement direction of
the brush assembly.
7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein brush assembly
further comprises: an air pump for exhausting water including air
via the water exhaust nozzle.
8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, further comprising: a
mode switch formed in the main body to select one of a general
cleaning and a wet cleaning, and a pump switch selectively
operating the air pump to exhaust water via the water exhaust
nozzle as the mode switch is selected to the wet cleaning.
9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the water
exhaust nozzle comprises one or more water exhaust nozzles on the
front of the brush assembly.
10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising: a
ultraviolet ray lamp provided at a rear of the rear block part on
the bottom surface of the brush assembly to sterilize the cleaning
surface.
11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the
ultraviolet ray lamp has a cover made of synthetic resinous
fluorine-containing polymers.
12. A vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function, comprising: a
main body; a brush assembly having a contaminant suction port
facing a cleaning surface, a brush rotating in contact with the
cleaning surface, and a water exhaust nozzle, the contaminant
suction port being in fluid communication with the main body; and a
front and a rear block parts formed at a front and a rear of the
brush assembly on a bottom surface of the brush assembly to
selectively open or block a contaminant suction path by a friction
force against the cleaning surface; wherein, as the brush assembly
moves forward, the front block part opens the contaminant suction
path and the rear block part blocks the contaminant suction
path.
13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the front
block part comprises: a block board taking on a configuration of a
plate to block the contaminant suction path at the front of the
brush assembly; a rotation axis formed at both ends of the block
board and rotatably attached to the brush assembly; and a rotation
protrusion provided in a form of a sector at a side of the block
board and of which an arc portion is extended from a leading end of
the block board so that as the arc portion contacts the cleaning
surface the leading end of the block board distances from the
cleaning surface.
14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the rear
block part comprises: a head part fixed in a rear block part
receiving groove of the brush assembly; a rear block board having a
plane front surface and a rear protrusion surface with a
consecutive plurality of protrusions of a regular interval, a part
of each leading end of the plane front surface or the rear
protrusion surface is selectively pressed against the cleaning
surface according to a movement direction of the brush
assembly.
15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein brush
assembly further comprises: an air pump for exhausting water
including air via the water exhaust nozzle.
16. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 15, further comprising: a
mode switch formed in the main body to select one of a general
cleaning and a wet cleaning, and a pump switch selectively
operating the air pump to exhaust water via the water exhaust
nozzle as the mode switch is selected to the wet cleaning.
17. A vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function, comprising: a
contaminant suction port facing a cleaning surface to define a
contaminant suction path; a rotating brush in contact with the
cleaning surface; a front block part formed at a front of the
rotating brush; and a rear block part formed at a rear of the
rotating brush, the front block part opening the contaminant
suction path and the rear block part blocking the contaminant
suction path as the vacuum cleaner moves in a first direction, the
front block part blocking the contaminant suction path and the rear
block part opening the contaminant suction path as the vacuum
cleaner moves in a second direction.
18. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the front
block part comprises a block board and a rotation protrusion
extended from a leading end of the block board so that as the
vacuum cleaner moves in the first direction the leading end of the
block board distances from the cleaning surface.
19. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, wherein the rear
block part comprises a rear block board having a plane surface and
a protrusion surface, the rear block board bending as the vacuum
cleaner moves in the first direction so that the plane surface is
pressed against the cleaning surface and bending as the vacuum
cleaner moves in the second direction so that the protrusion
surface is pressed against the cleaning surface.
20. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the front and
rear block parts selectively open or block the contaminant suction
path by a friction force against the cleaning surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2005-54071 filed on Jun. 22, 2005, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner
with a wet cleaning function.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function can
selectively perform a general cleaning and a wet cleaning. In the
general cleaning, the cleaner draws in contaminants such as dusts
from cleaning surfaces without moisture, and in the wet cleaning,
the cleaner sprays water onto hard cleaning surfaces such as
paper-covered floors, floors, and marbles to wipe off stains from
the cleaning surfaces and draws in the contaminants with water.
[0006] The vacuum cleaner with the wet cleaning function comprises
a water exhaust unit having a water tank, a water exhaust valve,
and a water exhaust nozzle, to exhaust water onto the cleaning
surfaces and a brush wiping off stains from the cleaning surface.
When performing the wet cleaning, the vacuum cleaner exhausts water
onto the cleaning surface and wipes off stains from the cleaning
surface with the brush so as to draw in the exhausted water with
the stains removed by the brush.
[0007] However, when performing the general cleaning, the brush
prevents the contaminants from drawing into a contaminant inlet. To
solve this problem, intervals between the brush and the cleaning
surface can be adjusted according to a conventional art. In other
words, when performing the general cleaning, the brush distances
from the cleaning surface to smoothly draw in contaminants, and
when performing the wet cleaning, the brush contacts the cleaning
surface to wipe. Accordingly, the conventional vacuum cleaner with
the wet cleaning function needs a structure for raising or
ascending and lowering or descending the brush, and therefore, the
structure of the brush assembly is complicated.
[0008] Additionally, when performing the wet cleaning, the cleaner
performs a general cleaning such as drawing in contaminants, with
the distanced brush from the cleaning surface, and then a wet
cleaning such as spraying water and wiping the cleaning surface
with descended brush. Therefore, it takes almost twice the time
taken to perform the mere general cleaning.
[0009] Finally, although the water exhaust valve is blocked after
completing the wet cleaning, water remaining between the water
exhaust valve and the water exhaust nozzle flows from the water
exhaust nozzle. Therefore, the area around the vacuum cleaner be
soiled by this remaining water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention has been conceived to solve the
above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an aspect
of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner having a
wet cleaning function of a simple structure without requiring the
descent and ascent of a brush.
[0011] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a
vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function which draws in
contaminants and simultaneously performs a wet cleaning so that the
cleaning time can be shorten when wet cleaning.
[0012] In order to achieve the above aspects, there is provided a
vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function, comprising a main
body, a brush assembly having a contaminant suction port facing a
cleaning surface, a brush of the contaminant suction port to rotate
in contact with the cleaning surface, and a water exhaust nozzle,
the contaminants suction port is fluidly communicated with the main
body, and a front and a rear block parts formed at a front and a
rear of the brush on a bottom surface of the brush assembly to
selectively open or block a contaminant suction path by a friction
force against the cleaning surface.
[0013] As one of the front block part and the rear block part opens
the contaminant suction path, the other may block the contaminant
suction path. In other words, the front block part may open the
contaminant suction path as the brush assembly moves forward.
[0014] The front block part is formed at a front of the brush and
on a bottom surface of the brush assembly to rotate a certain
degree by a friction force against the cleaning surface, and
selectively opens or blocks the contaminant suction path according
to the rotated degree. The front block part comprises a block board
taking on a configuration of a plate to block the contaminant
suction path of a front of the brush assembly; a rotation axis
formed at both ends of the block board and rotatably attached to
the brush assembly, and a rotation protrusion provided in a form of
a sector at a side of the block board and of which an arc portion
is extended from a leading end of the block board, and as the arc
portion of the rotation protrusion contacts the cleaning surface,
the leading end of the block board distances from the cleaning
surface.
[0015] The rear block part may comprise a head part fixed in a rear
block part receiving groove of the brush assembly, and a rear block
board having a plane side and a side with a consecutive plurality
of protrusions of a regular interval, a part of each leading end of
the plane side or the side with a plurality of protrusions are
selectively pressed by the cleaning surface according to a movement
direction of the brush assembly.
[0016] The brush assembly further comprises an air pump for
exhausting water including air via the water exhaust nozzle.
[0017] The brush assembly may be provided with one or more water
exhaust nozzles on a front of the brush assembly.
[0018] The vacuum cleaner may further comprise a mode switch formed
in the main body to select one of a general cleaning and a wet
cleaning, and a pump switch selectively operating the air pump to
exhaust water via the water exhaust nozzle as the mode switch is
selected to the wet cleaning.
[0019] The vacuum cleaner may further comprise an ultraviolet ray
lamp provided at a rear of the rear block part on a bottom surface
of the brush assembly to sterilize the cleaning surface. The
ultraviolet ray lamp may have at a front a cover made of synthetic
resinous fluorine-containing polymers, such as materials available
under the trademark Teflon.RTM..
[0020] As described above, the vacuum cleaner with the wet cleaning
function according to embodiments of the present invention opens or
blocks the contaminant suction path by the front and the rear block
parts so that the brush does not need to be ascended and descended.
Additionally, the front and the rear block parts operate by
friction force against the cleaning surface so that they do not
need dedicated driving members. According to embodiments of the
present invention, a vacuum cleaner with a cleaning function can be
provided with very simple structure compared with a conventional
vacuum cleaner with a cleaning function.
[0021] The vacuum cleaner can draw in contaminants while performing
the wet cleaning with bristles of brush since the contaminant
suction path is opened during the wet cleaning. In other words, the
vacuum cleaner with the wet cleaning according to embodiments of
the present invention does not need to perform a general cleaning
to remove contaminants from the cleaning surface. Therefore, the
cleaning time for wet cleaning can be shortened, compared to a
conventional vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning.
[0022] Further, as the vacuum cleaner with the wet cleaning
according to embodiments of the present invention completes the wet
cleaning and stops the air pump, water remaining in the water
exhaust hose between the air pump and the water exhaust nozzle is
blocked by air so as not to flow out from the water exhaust nozzle.
Accordingly, if the vacuum cleaner with the wet cleaning according
to embodiments of the present invention is applied, the
circumstance around the vacuum cleaner does not get dirty by the
remaining water.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed
description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front of a vacuum cleaner
with a wet cleaning function according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rear of the vacuum cleaner
of FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a uncovered brush assembly
of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 4 is perspective view of a bottom of the brush assembly
of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 3;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a front block part of the
vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;
[0029] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a rear block part of the
vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;
[0030] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the brush assembly of
the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 when stationary;
[0031] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the brush
assembly of FIG. 7 when moving forward; and
[0032] FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the brush
assembly of FIG. 7 when moving backward.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0033] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be
described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. In the
drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference
numerals throughout the drawings in the following description,
detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations
incorporated herein have been omitted for conciseness and
clarity.
[0034] Referring to FIG. I and FIG. 2, a vacuum cleaner 1 with a
wet cleaning function comprises a main body 10 and a brush assembly
20.
[0035] The main body 10 comprises a motor assembly (not shown) for
generating a suction force, a contaminant-collecting receptacle
(not shown) for collecting contaminants and water drawn in via the
brush assembly 20, and a water tank (not shown) for storing water
for wet cleaning. The body 10 has at an upper end a handle 11 for a
user to grasp. The handle 11 is connected via an extension pipe 12
to the main body 10. The body 10 has at a rear side a hose 13 for
connecting the brush assembly 20 and the contaminant-collecting
receptacle of the main body 10 and a knob 14 for moving the vacuum
cleaner 1.
[0036] The handle 11 comprises a power switch 15 for operating the
motor assembly, a mode switch 16 for selecting one of a general
cleaning mode and a wet cleaning mode, and a pump switch 17 for
operating an air pump 72 (refer to FIG. 3). If the general cleaning
mode is set, power is supplied to the motor of motor assembly and a
brush motor 62 (refer to FIG. 3), but not supplied to the air pump
72. Accordingly, as the power switch 15 is on, the motor of motor
assembly and the brush motor 62 rotate. However, since power is not
supplied to the air pump 72, water is not exhausted from the water
exhaust nozzle 74 although the pump switch is on. If the wet
cleaning is set, power is supplied to the motor of motor assembly,
brush motor 62, and the air pump 72. Accordingly, as the power
switch 15 is on, the motor of motor assembly and the brush motor 62
rotate, and as the pump switch 17 is on, the air pump 72 operates
so that water is exhausted from the water exhaust nozzle 74.
[0037] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the brush assembly 20 comprises
a brush body 21, a suction duct 30, a front and a rear block parts
40, 50, a brush unit 60, a water exhaust unit 70, a plurality of
wheels 81, 82, and a ultraviolet ray lamp 90 (refer to FIG. 7).
[0038] The brush body 21 comprises at a bottom front a contaminant
suction port 22 for drawing in contaminants and water from the
cleaning surface, and supports another members which will be
explained later.
[0039] The suction duct 30 is disposed at an upper portion of the
brush body 21, of which an end is connected with the contaminant
suction port 22 and of which the other end is connected with a hose
13 (refer to FIG. 1) of the main body 10. Accordingly, the suction
duct 30 forms a path in which contaminants and water drawn in
through the contaminant suction port 22 are collected via the hose
13 into the contaminant-collecting receptacle of the main body
10.
[0040] The brush unit 60 comprises a brush 61 rotatably disposed in
the contaminant suction port 22, a brush motor 62 rotating the
brush 61, and a driving force transmission device 63 transmitting a
driving force of the brush motor 62 to the brush 61.
[0041] The brush 61 comprises a cylindrical brush drum 61a and a
brush bristle 61b. The brush drum 61a is rotatably supported by a
rotation support member 67 such as a bearing disposed at opposite
ends of the contaminants suction port 22. The brush drum 61a has at
the surface a plurality of brush bristles 61b. The plurality of
bristles 61b may be provided in various ways, however, in the
present embodiment, the bristles 61b are provided with three rows
separated by a certain interval. The row of each brush bristle 61b
takes on the configuration of a circular arc. The length of brush
bristle 61b may be set for a leading end of the brush bristle 61b
to wipe and move forward the cleaning surface when the brush drum
61 a rotates. Thanks to the brush 61, the cleaner may wipe the
cleaning surface to remove stains when performing the wet cleaning,
and contaminants may be easily drawn from the cleaning surface into
the contaminant suction port 22 when performing the general
cleaning.
[0042] The driving force transmission device 63 can include two
pulleys 65, 64 provided in each of the brush motor 62 and the brush
61, and a belt 66 connecting the two pulleys 65, 64. As the brush
motor 62 rotates, the driving force of the brush motor 62 is
transmitted to the brush 61 via the two pulleys 65, 64 and the belt
66 so that the brush 61 can rotate.
[0043] The front block part 40 is provided at a front of the brush
61 and on a bottom surface of the brush body 21 to selectively
block or open a contaminant suction path 3 (refer to FIG. 7)
through which contaminants of the front of the brush assembly 20
are drawn into the contaminant suction port 22. FIG. 5 is a view of
an example of the front block part 40. Referring to FIG. 5, the
front block part 40 comprises a block board 41, two rotation axes
42, and two rotation protrusions 43, and is made of a rubber.
[0044] The block board 41 blocks the front contaminant suction path
3 through which contaminants are drawn into the contaminant suction
port 22 from the front of brush assembly 20, and is plate-like. The
height of block board 41 may be set to slightly press a bottom end
41b of the block board 41 against the cleaning surface when the
block board 41 is perpendicular to the cleaning surface 2 (refer to
FIG. 7). Accordingly, if the block board 41 is perpendicular to the
cleaning surface, the contaminants at the front of the block board
41 are not drawn into the contaminant suction port 22. The rotation
axes 42 are formed at opposite ends of the block board 41 and
inserted in hinge grooves (not shown) of the brush body 21 of the
brush assembly 20 so that the front block part 40 can rotate by a
certain degree. The rotation axes 42 may be made of a stainless rod
penetrating the block board 41 for endurance. The rotation
protrusions 43 are also formed at opposite ends of the block board
41 and are provided in the form of a sectorial arc part 43a
extending from a leading end 41a of the block board 41. The radius
of the sectorial arc part 43a is the distance between the rotation
axis 42 to the bottom end 41b of the block board 41. The rotation
protrusions 43 are provided at each of opposite ends of the block
board 41 so as to maintain contaminants therebetween. The arc angle
.theta. of the rotation protrusion 43 may be set so that point of
intersection of the leading and bottom ends 41a, 41b of the block
board 41 is about adjacent to a bottom surface 21 a of the brush
body 21 when one surface 44 of the rotation protrusion 43 is
perpendicular to the cleaning surface 2 as shown in FIG. 8.
Accordingly, as the brush assembly 20 moves in a first direction A
(FIG. 8), the front block part 40 can rotate in an opposite
direction of the movement of the brush assembly 20 due to a
friction force against the cleaning surface 2. Then, the front
contaminant suction path 3 is opened between the block board 41 and
the two rotation protrusions 43. As the brush assembly 20 moves in
a second direction B oppositely to the first direction A, the front
block part 40 allows the block board 41 to be perpendicular to the
cleaning surface 2 due to the friction force against the cleaning
surface 2 to block the front contaminant suction path 3 (refer to
FIG. 9). Accordingly, it is determined if the front block part 40
opens or blocks the front contaminant suction path 3 as the brush
assembly 20 moves in a certain direction depending on the direction
of attachment of the rotation protrusions 43 of the front block
part 40 to the brush assembly 20. For example, if the front block
part 40 is provided for the rotation protrusions 43 to face the
front of the brush assembly 20 according to the present embodiment
of the present invention (refer to FIG. 7), the front contaminant
suction path 3 of the brush assembly 20 is opened as the brush
assembly 20 moves forward, and the front contaminant suction path 3
is blocked as the brush assembly 20 moves backward.
[0045] The rear block part 50 is formed at a bottom surface of the
brush body 21 and at a rear of the brush, i.e., the contaminant
suction port 22, and selectively blocks and opens a rear
contaminant suction path 4 which draws in the contaminants from the
rear of the contaminant suction port 22. FIG. 6 is a view of an
example of the rear block part 50. Referring to FIG. 6, the rear
block part 50 comprises a head part 51 and a rear block board 52.
The head part 51 is fixed in a rear block part receiving groove 57
of the brush body 21 of the brush assembly 20. A front surface
(hereinafter, plane surface) 53 of the rear block board 52 is
plane, and a rear surface thereof (hereinafter, protrusion surface)
54 has a plurality of protrusions 55 consecutively formed by a
certain interval. The protrusion surface 54 may take up the
configuration of a rack gear with a plurality of triangular teeth.
The length of the rear block board 52 may be set so that a bottom
end 52b of the rear block board 52 slightly presses against the
cleaning surface 2 as the brush assembly 20 is located on the
cleaning surface 2 as shown in FIG. 7. Then, as the brush assembly
20 moves backward and forward, the bottom end 52b of the rear block
part 50 moves with a friction force against the cleaning surface 2,
causing the rear block part 50 to be bent in a direction opposite
to the brush assembly's moving direction. Accordingly, the leading
end portion of the plane surface 53 (FIG. 8) or the leading end
portion of the protrusion surface 54 (FIG. 9) is selectively
pressed against the cleaning surface 2 depending on the moving
direction of the brush assembly 20. When the protrusion surface 54
contacts the cleaning surface 2, the rear contaminant suction path
4 of the rear of the contaminant suction port 22 is opened since
contaminants and water are drawn into spaces 56 among the plurality
of protrusions 5. Accordingly, it is determined that the rear block
part 50 opens or blocks the rear contaminant suction path 4 as the
brush assembly 20 moves in a certain direction depending on the
direction of attachment of the protrusion surface 54 of the rear
block part 50 to the brush assembly 20. For example, if the rear
block part 50 is provided for the protrusion surface 54 to face the
rear of the brush assembly 20 (refer to FIG. 7), the rear
contaminant suction path 4 is opened as the brush assembly moves
back, and as the brush assembly 20 moves forward, the rear
contaminant suction path 4 is blocked.
[0046] According to the present embodiment, as the brush assembly
20 moves forward (FIG. 8), the front block part 40 opens the front
contaminant suction path 3 and the rear block part 50 blocks the
rear contaminant suction path 4. As the brush assembly 20 moves
backward (FIG. 9), the front block part 40 blocks the front
contaminant suction path 3 and the rear block part 50 opens the
rear contaminant suction path 4. However, this should not be
considered as limiting. As the brush assembly 20 moves forward or
backward, the operations of the front and the rear block parts 40,
50 may be reversed to that described above. Or, as the brush
assembly 20 moves forward, the front and the rear block parts 40,
50 may open both contaminant suction paths 3 and 4 or as the brush
assembly 20 moves backward, the front and the rear block parts 40,
50 may block both contaminant suction paths 3 and 4.
[0047] Additionally, according to the present embodiment of the
present invention, each of the front and the rear block parts 40,
56 has a different configuration, however it is contemplated by the
present invention for the front and the rear block parts 40, 50 to
have the same configuration.
[0048] The water exhaust unit 70 exhausts water onto the cleaning
surface 2 when performing the wet cleaning. Referring to FIG. 3,
the water exhaust unit 70 comprises a water tank (not shown), a
water supply hose 71, the air pump 72, the water exhaust hose 73,
and the water exhaust nozzle 74. The water tank stores therein a
certain amount of water and is provided in the main body 10 to
supply the water exhaust nozzle 74 with water. The water tank may
be mounted higher than the water exhaust nozzle 74 to assist in
exhausting the water from the water tank through the water exhaust
nozzle 74. The water supply hose 71 fluidly communicates the water
tank and the air pump 72 to supply the air pump 72 with the water
of the water tank.
[0049] The air pump 72 mixes the water exhausted via the water
exhaust nozzle 71 with air. The water mixed with air is exhausted
via the water exhaust hose 73 to the outside. The water remaining
in the water exhaust hose 73 is prevented from flowing down the
outside of the brush assembly 20 via the water exhaust nozzle 74
due to the surface tension as the water exhaust is blocked. The air
pump 72 rotates by an electric motor, and mixes and compresses air
and water supplied from the water supply hose 71 by the cam
mechanism to discharge them via the water exhaust hose 73. The
compression pressure of the air pump 72 is approximately 0.8 to
approximately 1 kilogram of force per square meter (Kgf/m.sup.2).
If the air pump 72 is diaphragm-operated, the air pump 72 is not
damaged although water flows backward. The air pump 72 can
electrically control the amount of exhausted water. In specific,
the air pump 72 adjusts the voltage supplied thereto in order to
control the amount of exhausted water. At this time, the amount of
exhausted water is approximately 0 to approximately 800 cubic
centimeters per minute (CC/min). To control the amount of exhausted
water of the air pump 72, an exhausted amount control part (not
shown) may be provided which can manually adjust the voltage
supplied to the air pump 72. Or, a program may be set in the
exhausted amount control part to variously control the amount of
exhausted water of the air pump 72 depending on the movement
direction of the brush body 21. Or, a direction sensor (not shown)
may be disposed on the bottom surface of the brush body 21 to sense
the movement direction of the brush assembly 20 so that the air
pump 72 may exhaust water according to signals of the direction
sensor. The air pump 72 can be any air pump such as those commonly
used for bidets, instruments for measuring blood pressure, and
aquariums.
[0050] The water exhaust nozzle 74 is disposed at a front of the
brush body 21 to exhaust water toward the front of the brush
assembly 20. The brush assembly 20 may be provided with one water
exhaust nozzle 74, and preferably, with two water exhaust nozzles
74 as shown in FIG. 3. The water exhaust hose 73 fluidly
communicates the two water exhaust nozzles 74 and the air pump 72
so that air-mixed water flowing via the air pump 72 can be
discharged via the water exhaust nozzle 74.
[0051] The wheels 81, 82 comprise a pair of big wheels 81 of the
rear of the brush body 21 and a pair of small wheels 82 of the rear
of the rear block part 50 on a bottom surface of the brush body
21.
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, the ultraviolet ray lamp 90 is
formed at the brush body 21 at rear sides of the small wheels 82 to
sterilize the cleaning surface 2 completed with the wet cleaning. A
reflection plate 93 made of a reflective material, such as
stainless steel or aluminum, is formed over a top portion of the
ultraviolet ray lamp 90 to maximally reflect the ultraviolet to a
bottom portion of the ultraviolet ray lamp 90, which is radiated to
the top portion from the ultraviolet ray lamp 90. A protection
window 91 of transparent synthetic resinous fluorine-containing
polymers, such as Teflon.RTM., is formed at the bottom portion of
the ultraviolet ray lamp 90. The protection window 91 may be formed
by integrally projecting with a framework 92. Preferably, window 91
is made of a synthetic resinous fluorine-containing polymer that is
capable of transmitting the ultraviolet rays emitted from lamp
90.
[0053] The cover 23 has two holes 24 to expose the two water
exhaust nozzles 74 to the outside, and is attached onto the brush
assembly 21 not to expose the above-described members to the
outside.
[0054] The operations of the vacuum cleaner I with the wet cleaning
function and the above structures according to embodiments of the
present invention will be in detail explained with reference to
FIGS. 1 through 9.
[0055] First, the case will be explained when the vacuum cleaner 1
according to an embodiment of the present invention performs the
wet cleaning.
[0056] When performing the wet cleaning, the power switch 15 is on,
and the mode switch 16 of the handle 11 is switched to a
wet-cleaning mode. Then, the pump switch 17 is on to exhaust water
from the two water exhaust nozzles 74 to the front of the brush
assembly 20. As the pump switch 17 is on, the air pump 72 operates.
The air pump 72 mixes the water from the water supply hose 71 with
air to discharge via the water exhaust hose 73. Then, the water
mixed with air is exhausted via the two water exhaust nozzles 74.
At this time, water or air alternatively flows in the water exhaust
hose 73. Accordingly, while the air pump 72 operates, water is
continuously exhausted, however, as the air pump 72 is stopped, air
in the water exhaust hose 73 prevents water from flowing so that
water remaining between the water exhaust nozzles 74 and the air
pump 72 may be prevented from discharging via the water exhaust
nozzle 74. If necessary, the exhaust amount of the air pump 72 may
be adjusted to appropriately control the amount of water exhausted
via the water exhaust nozzles 74.
[0057] As water is exhausted on the cleaning surface 2 of the front
of the brush assembly 20, a user moves the brush assembly 20
forward and backward with the handle 11. Then, the front and the
rear block parts 40, 50, the motor of motor assembly, and the motor
62 of the brush unit 60 operate so as to draw in water with
contaminants and collect into the contaminant-collecting
receptacle.
[0058] The operations of the front and the rear block parts 40, 50
will be in detail explained.
[0059] As the brush assembly 20 is on the cleaning surface 2, the
bottom ends 41b, 52b of the front and the rear block parts 40, 50
are pressed by own weight of the brush assembly 20. As the brush
assembly 20 moves forward in first direction A, the front block
part 40 rotates counterclockwise (in a direction of arrow C of FIG.
8) based on the rotation axes 42 with the rotation protrusion 43
contacted on the cleaning surface 2. Then, as the rotation degrees
of the front block part 40 increases, the interval between the
bottom end 41b of the block board 41 and the cleaning surface 2
gets greater. Since the bottom end 41b of the block board 41 is
located at the highest position as the one side 44 of the rotation
protrusion 43 is perpendicular to the cleaning surface 2 as shown
in FIG. 8, the front contaminant suction path 3 of the front of the
contaminant suction port 22 is entirely opened. As the brush
assembly 20 moves forward in first direction A, the rear block part
50 has the rear block board 52 bent toward the rear side of the
brush assembly 20. Since the plane surface 53 of the rear block
board 52 is at front, the rear contaminant suction path 4 of the
contaminant suction port 22 is blocked. Accordingly, contaminants
are prevented from being drawn in from the rear side of the
contaminant suction port 22. As described above, as the brush
assembly 20 moves forward in first direction A, the front
contaminant suction path 3 is opened by the front block part 40 and
the rear contaminant suction path 4 is blocked by the rear block
part 50. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner 1 according to an embodiment
of the present invention may effectively draw in wet contaminants
and water exhausted to the front of the brush assembly 20 with
air.
[0060] As a user moves the brush assembly 20 backward in second
direction B, the front block part 40 rotates clockwise (in a
direction of arrow D of FIG. 9) based on the rotation axes 42 with
the rotation protrusion 43 contacted on the cleaning surface 2
(refer to FIG. 9). As the rotation degrees increase, the bottom end
41b of the block part 41 gets lower so as to clock the front
contaminant suction path 3. As shown in FIG. 9, as the block board
41 is perpendicular to the cleaning surface 2, the front
contaminant suction path 3 is entirely blocked. As the brush
assembly 20 moves forward in second direction B, the rear block
part 50 has the rear block board 52 bent toward the front of the
brush assembly 20. At this time, since the rear block board 52 has
at the rear side the protrusion surface 54, the rear of the
contaminant suction port 22 is fluidly communicated with the
contaminant suction port 22 via the spaces 56 between the plurality
of protrusions 55 of the protrusion surface 54. Accordingly, the
rear contaminant suction path 4 is opened. As described above, as
the brush assembly 20 moves back in second direction B, the cleaner
1 mainly draws in and removes water remaining on the cleaning
surface 2 although the brush assembly 20 moves forward.
[0061] As the power switch 15 is on, the brush motor 62 rotates. As
the brush motor 62 rotates, the brush 61 receives a rotation force
of the brush motor 62 via the pulleys 64, 65 and the belt 66 (refer
to FIG. 3) and rotates. As the brush 61 rotates, the brush bristle
61b rotates, wiping the cleaning surface 2 so as to effectively
remove wet stains from the cleaning surface 2. Since the brush
bristles 61b take on the configuration of a circular arc for
example, in concave form in the rotation direction E of the brush
61 (refer to FIG. 4), the contaminants and water removed from the
cleaning surface 2 can be effectively pushed into the contaminant
suction port 22.
[0062] As described above, as the brush assembly 20 moves forward
or backward, the front block part 40 and the rear block part 50
selectively open or block the front and the rear contaminant
suction paths 3, 4, and the brush 61 rotates, wiping the cleaning
surface 2 so that contaminants and water may be effectively removed
from the cleaning surface 2.
[0063] Next, the case will be explained when the vacuum cleaner 1
according to an embodiment of the present invention performs the
general cleaning.
[0064] A user switches the mode switch 16 of the handle 11 to the
general cleaning mode. Then, as the power switch 15 is pressed, the
motor assembly of the main body 10 operates so that a suction force
can be generated. The contaminants from the cleaning surface 2 are
drawn in the contaminant suction port 22 of the brush assembly 20
by the suction force and collected in the contaminant-collecting
receptacle. At this time, the brush motor 62 also operates to
rotate the brush 61 of the contaminant suction port 22. In other
words, the vacuum cleaner 1 according to embodiments of the present
invention draws in contaminants from the cleaning surface 2 to
clean up as the same as a general vacuum cleaner. However, the only
difference is that the front and the rear block parts 40, 50
selectively operate as the brush assembly 20 moves forward or
backward. In specific, as the brush assembly 20 moves forward in
first direction A, the front block part 40 rotates by a certain
degree to open the front contaminant suction path 3, and the rear
block board 52 is bent in an opposite direction of the contaminant
suction port 22 to block the rear contaminant suction path 4. On
the contrary, as the brush assembly 20 moves back in second
direction B, the front block part 40 rotates in an opposite
direction of the above by a certain degree to block the front
contaminant suction path 3, and the rear block board 52 is bent
toward the contaminant suction port 22 to open the rear contaminant
suction path 4.
[0065] Additionally, if the brush body 21 has the ultraviolet ray
lamp 90 on the bottom surface, the cleaning surface 2 can be
sterilized as the brush assembly 20 moves since the ultraviolet ray
is emitted on the cleaning surface 2.
[0066] While the invention has been shown and described with
reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by
those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details
may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *