Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02449891 2003-11-18
HANDLE TUBE AND CYCLONE VACUUM CLEANER
EQUIPPED WITH THE SA1VIE
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handle tube and a vacuum cleaner equipped
with the handle tube, and in particular, to a handle tube installed with a
cyclone dust
collector and a vacuum cleaner equipped with the handle.
Background of the Invention
A vacuum cleaner is an appliance for clearing away dust and soil on a surface
to
be cleaned, wherein air is forcibly circulated by rotating a motor, so that
the interior of
the cleaner body is turned into the vacuum state, and the dust and soil are
inhaled into
the appliance together with the suctioned air due to intense wind run caused
by the
pressure difference generated between the inner side and outer side of the
body of the
appliance, whereby the dust and soil are cleared away.
Further, a cyclone dust collector is an apparatus for separating particles
from a
fluid with centrifugal force. Due to the advantage of simple construction and
enduxability against high temperature and pressure, such a cyclane dust
collector has
been widely used from long ago in industrial field and is also employed in a
vacuum
cleaner.
A representative example of a cyclone provided with a cyclone dust collector
is
disclosed in Korean patent application l~lo. 1999-20704 entitled "Cyclone Dust
Collector for Vacuum Cleaner," which is pending in the na.rne of the assignee
of the
present application
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Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a vacuum cleaner with a cyclone dust
collector disclosed in the above-mentioned patent application.
As can be seen from the drawing, the conventional vacuum cleaner 1 equipped
with a cyclone dust collector 21 comprises; a cleaner body 3, a flexible hose
9
connected to the cleaner body 3, an extension tube 8, a handle tube 7
connected between
the flexible hose 9 and the extension tube 8, and a cyclone dust collector 21
joined
between the handle tube 7 and the extension tube 8.
The cleaner body 3 is divided into a dust collection chamber (not shown),
within which a dust bag (not shown) is received, and a load driven chamber
(not shown),
within which a suction motor (not shown) for inhaling air that contains
external dusts
into the dust collection chamber is received.
The distal end of the extension tube 8 is joined with a brush 10 and the brush
10
is constructed to contact a to-be-cleaned-surface as a floor covered with
laminated paper,
and a carpet in which the bottom side of the brush 10 is formed with an inflow
opening.
The cyclone dust collector 21 is joined between the handle tube 7 and the
extension tube 8 and separates soil such as dust contained in air with
centrifugal force.
The handle tube 7 is provided with a handle 9 in a side thereof so that a user
can
easily grip the handle tube 7.
With the above-mentioned construction, when the source of electric power is
applied, air that contains soil such as dust is inhaled through the inflow
opening of the
brush 10 due to the suction force produced by driving the suction motor. Air
flows
along the extension tube 8 and into the cyclone dust collector 2I . Soil with
a large
grain size or paper scraps are separated from air by centrifugal force, while
air flowing
into the cyclone dust collector 21 is forming swirling air streams and moving
toward the
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closed end of the cyclone dust collector. The separated soil and the like,
descends
along the internal wall of a soil collection receptacle 25 and are collected
in the lower
part of the receptacle.
The purified air moves along the handle tube 7 and the flexible hose 9
connected between the handle tube 7 and the cleaner body 3 and then flows into
the
cleaner body
The processes for entraining and collecting dusts perfornned in the dust
collection chamber (not shown) of the cleaner body are the same with those
performed
in the conventional air cleaner 1.
However, in such a conventional vacuum cleaner, it is required to separately
provide a handle to the handle tube, and in particular, when a cyclone dust
collector is
provided, the load of the handle tube is unevenly concentrated toward the
cyclone dust
collector. Therefore, it is difficult to smoothly move the vacuum cleaner,
including the
handle tube.
In addition, in such a conventional cleaner, the suction driving force of the
cleaner body follows a long transfer route including the brush, the extension
tube
connected to the brush, the cyclone dust collector, the handle tube connected
to the
cyclone dust collector, and the flexible hose connected between the handle and
the
cleaner body, whereby the driving force partially vanishes. Therefore, there
is a
problem in that the dust collection capability of the cyclone dust collector
is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems
occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to
provide a handle
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tube for a vacuum cleaner, which is simple in construction and easy for a user
to grip
when cleaning is performed, and, to provide a vacuum cleaner equipped with the
handle
tube.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a light-weighted handle
tube for a vacuum cleaner, which is provided with a handle-shaped air flow
passage,
whereby, a separate handle is not needed, and to provide a vacuum cleaner
equipped
with the handle tube.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a handle tube for a
vacuum cleaner provided with a handle-shaped air flow passage which is in turn
provided with a cyclone dust collector, and to provide a vacuum cleaner
equipped with
the handle tube.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the present invention,
there is
provided a vacuum cleaner including a brush capable of inhaling air that
contains
external dusts, and a cleaner body for supplying suction force to the brush,
wherein the
vacuum cleaner further comprises a handle tube interposed between the brush
and the
cleaner body to interconnect the brush and the cleaner body so that air is
capable of
flowing through the handle tube, wherein, a predetermined part of the handle
tube is
formed as a handle to be gripped by a user.
In addition, it is advantageous that the handle is double-bent between a
distal
end to be connected to the brush and a proximal end to be connected to the air
cleaner,
wherein, a lrnurled part is preferably formed on the external surface of the
handle.
The vacuum cleaner may further comprise a cyclone dust collector installed in
the handle tube.
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In addition, the cyclone dust collector preferably comprises: a cyclone body
that
renders air flowing within the handle tube to swirl, centrifugally separate
and discharge
dusts; and, a soil collection receptacle for collecting centrifugally
separated dusts, the
receptacle being removably joined to the cyclone body.
It is preferable that the cyclone body comprises: a suction port, through
which
air that contains dusts and flows into the handle tube, is caused to swirl; a
discharge port
for discharging dusts-separated air; and, a grill joined to the discharge port
for removing
soils.
In addition, in order to achieve the above objects, according to the present
invention, there is provided a handle tube for a vacuum cleaner, interposed
between a
brush capable of inhaling air that contains external dusts and a cleaner body
for
supplying suction force to the brush, wherein an air flow passage for
interconnecting the
brush and the cleaner body is formed as a handle capable of being gripped by a
user
It is preferable that the handle tube for a vacuum cleaner further comprises a
cyclone dust collector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, 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:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional vacuum cleaner provided with a
cyclone dust collector according to the prior art;
Figs. 2 is a side view of a handle tube for a vacuum cleaner according to the
present invention, wherein the handle tube is equipped with a cyclone dust
collector;
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and
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the handle tube shown in Fig. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ElVIBODIMENTS
As described below, the preferred embodiments will be described in more
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following
description of the
embodiment of the present invention, like reference numerals will be provided
for the
elements having same constructions and functions as the conventional image-
forming
device as described above.
Fig. 2 is a side view of a handle tube for a vacuum cleaner, wherein the
handle
tube is equipped with a cyclone dust collector. In particular, the handle tube
shown in
Fig. 2 has a construction improved in such a manner that a flow passage of the
handle
tube is shaped to take a form of handle, whereby a separate handle is not
needed and the
handle tube is light-weighted.
The cleaner equipped with the handle tube that includes the cyclone dust
collector comprises: a brush 10; a cleaner body 3; a flexible hose 9
interconnecting the
brush 10 and the cleaner body 3; the handle tube 7 installed between flexible
hose 9 and
the brush 10; and, an extension tube 8 having a distal end connected to the
brush I 0 and
a proximal end connected to the handle tube 7. Because the cleaner body 3, the
flexible hose 9, the extension tube 8, and the brush 10 are similar to those
indicated in
Fig. l, they are not shown in Fig. 2.
The cleaner body 3 is divided into a dust collection chamber (not shown)
provided within the cleaner body 3 and receiving a dust bag (not shown), and a
load
driven chamber (not shown) housing a suction motor (not shown) for inhaling
air that
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contains external dusts into the dust collection chamber.
The distal end of the extension tube 8 is joined with the brush 10 and the
brush
contacts with a to-be-cleaned-surface such as a floor covered with laminated
paper or
a carpet, in which the bottom side of the brush 10 is formed with an inflow
opening.
A predetermined part of the handle tube 7 is formed with a handle 60 to be
gripped by a user, so that the user can easily grip the handle tube 7.
The handle tube equipped with the cyclone dust collector is described with
reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the mounting
construction
of the cyclone dust collector. In the drawing, reference symbol I indicates
the front
10 side of the handle tube.
The handle tube 7 comprises a cyclone dust collector 21 mounted on the handle
tube 7, and a handle tube body 30.
The handle tube body 30 comprises a first flow conduit 39 and a second flow
conduit 41, wherein the first and second flow conduits 39, 41 are located in
an upper
part and a lower part in reference to a block wall 53 in the handle tube body
30.
The first flow conduit 39 is provided with an air inlet 35 communicating with
the brush 10 in the front of the handle tube 7, and a suction port 37
connected to a side
of the cyclone dust collector 21 in the rear of the handle tube 7.
The second flow conduit 41 is provided with an air outlet 47 communicating
with the flexible hose in the rear of the handle tube 7, the air outlet 9, and
a discharge
port 43 connected to the cyclone dust collector 21 in the front of the handle
tube 7.
The second flow conduit 41 is formed in a double-bent construction so that a
handle space 65 is formed entirely under the handle tube 7 to allow a user to
easily grip
the handle tube 7.
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Furthermore, the second flow conduit 41 is backwardly spaced from a soil
collection receptacle 25 so that the soil collection receptacle 25 can be
removably
attached to the cyclone body 55. The distance 'd' between the rear end of the
soil
collection receptacle 25 and the second flow conduit 41 is determined so that
the soil
collection receptacle 25 is easily attached to or detached from the handle
tube 7.
A knurling may be formed on the outer surface of the handle 60 so that the,
user
can securely hold the handle tube 7 without having the handle tube 7 slip.
Alternatively,
a series of folds or ridges may be partially formed on the outer surface of
the handle 60
in various shapes.
The cyclone dust collector 21 includes a cyclone body 55 as well as the soil
collection receptacle 25 removably attached to the cyclone body 55.
The cyclone body 55 comprises a suction port 37 for inhaling the air, through
which air that contains dusts and flows into the handle tube 7, is caused to
swirl; a
discharge port 43 for discharging air after the dusts are centrifugally
separated; and, a
soil separation grill attached to the discharge port 43 and formed with a
plurality of fine
passage holes 44.
It is preferable that the cyclone body 55 takes a cylindrical shape
corresponding to the shape of the soil collection receptacle 25.
The soil separation grill 70 has a cylindrical shape with the plural fine
passage
holes 44 formed in the circumference, and an opening 45 formed in an end of
the grill.
The opening 45 serves to discharge air flowing into the soil separation grill
70 through
the fine passage holes 44.
In addition, an anti-backflow member SO is extended from the soil separation
grill 70 toward the bottom of the soil collection receptacle 25.
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When a source of electric power is applied to the handle tube with the above-
mentioned construction, air that contains soils such as dusts are inhaled
through the air
inlet formed in the brush 10 by suction force generated by the driven suction
motor.
Thereafter, air flows into the inside of the cyclone dust collector 21 via the
extension
tube 8 connected with the brush 10.
Air flowing into the inside of the cyclone dust collector 21 flows into the
inside
of the cyclone dust collector 21 in the oblique direction through the suction
port 37
formed in the cyclone body 55. Thereby, air that contains soils such as dust,
forms
whirling air streams and starts to move toward the closed end of the cyclone
dust
collector 21.
During this process, the soils of large grain sizes or paper scraps contained
in
air are separated from air by centrifugal force. The separated soils descend
along the
inner wall of the soil collection receptacle 25 of the cyclone dust collector
21 and are
collected in the lower part of the cyclone receptacle 25. The processes for
entraining
and collecting dusts performed in the duct collection chamber (not shown) in
the cleaner
body 3 are similar to those performed in the conventional vacuum cleaner 1.
In the embodiments described above, description is made in connection with a
handle tube provided with a cyclone dust collector and a vacuum cleaner
equipped with
the handle tube. However, there is no doubt that the present invention can be
variantly
embodied as a handle tube only having a handle without a cyclone dust
collector and a
vacuum equipped with such a handle tube.
According to the present invention as described above; it is not needed to
provide a separate handle to the handle tube, and thus it is possible to use a
simple and
light-weighted handle tube. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner can be conveniently
used.
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Furthermore, the route for transferring the suction driving force from the
suction motor in the cleaner body can be reduced. Therefore, the dust
collection
capability of the vacuum cleaner can be enhanced.
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been shown and
described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, the present
invention is
not limited to the embodiments. It will be understood that various
modifications and
changes can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit and
scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It shall be
considered that
such modifications, changes and equivalents thereof are all included within
the scope of
the present invention.
to
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