IP Library Granted Patent US 12,185,903
Granted Patent B2
US 12,185,903 · App. 17/984,154 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Vacuum cleaner station, vacuum cleaner system, and method for controlling vacuum cleaner station

Inventors: Sungjun Kim (Seoul, KR); Jinhyouk Shin (Seoul, KR); Ingyu Yang (Seoul, KR); Youngsoo Kim (Seoul, KR); Jungwan Ryu (Seoul, KR); Jeahyuk Wie (Seoul, KR); Dongjae Lee (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
A47L9/2873A47L5/24A47L7/0095A47L9/0063A47L9/106A47L9/1683A47L9/22A47L9/2815A47L9/2842A47L9/2884A47L9/322A47L2201/022A47L2201/024
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,185,903
App. No.
17/984,154
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cleaner system including: a cleaner; a cleaner station; and an imaginary plane including an imaginary suction flow path through line penetrating a suction flow path in a longitudinal direction and an imaginary suction motor axis defined by extending a rotation axis of a suction motor, in which when the cleaner is coupled to the cleaner station, the plane penetrates at least a part of the cleaner station, such that a center of gravity of the cleaner is disposed to pass through a space for maintaining balance of the station, and as a result, it is possible to stably support the cleaner and the station while preventing the cleaner and the station from falling down.

Claims (42)

1. A cleaner system comprising:

a cleaner comprising:

a suction part that defines a suction flow path configured to receive air,

a suction motor configured to rotate about a rotation axis to thereby generate suction force for suctioning the air through the suction part,

a cyclone configured to separate dust from the air introduced through the suction part, and

a dust bin configured to store the dust separated by the cyclone; and

a cleaner station that is configured to couple to the cleaner and extends in a longitudinal direction intersecting a longitudinal axis of the dust bin, the cleaner station comprising:

a housing that defines a dust collecting space configured to receive the dust from the dust bin of the cleaner,

a dust collecting motor configured to generate a suction force for suctioning the dust in the dust bin into the dust collecting space, wherein the dust collecting motor and the dust collecting space are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cleaner station in the housing,

a coupling surface configured to face a bottom surface of the dust bin based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station,

a pair of sidewalls that protrude from the coupling surface in a direction perpendicular to the coupling surface,

a dust bin guide surface disposed between the pair of sidewalls and configured to couple to an outer circumferential surface of the dust bin based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, wherein the dust bin guide surface and the pair of sidewalls define an accommodating space configured to receive the dust bin based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, and

a sealer disposed at the dust bin guide surface and configured to be in contact with at least one of the outer circumferential surface or the bottom surface of the dust bin to thereby provide sealing between the dust bin guide surface and a part of the outer circumferential surface of the dust bin based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station,

wherein the sealer is configured to provide the sealing between the dust bin guide surface and the part of the outer circumferential surface of the dust bin based on the dust bin being seated on the sealer after the dust bin is moved in a direction intersecting an imaginary dust bin throughline, the imaginary dust bin throughline extending along the longitudinal axis of the dust bin and passing through the bottom surface of the dust bin.

2. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the sealer is disposed at a lower portion of the dust bin guide surface, and the cleaner is configured to press the sealer down toward the dust bin guide surface based on being coupled to the cleaner station.

3. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the suction flow path extends in a longitudinal axis of the suction part, and

wherein the cleaner is configured to move in a coupling direction relative to the cleaner station to thereby couple to the cleaner station, the coupling direction comprising at least one of (i) a first direction intersecting the longitudinal axis of the suction part or (ii) a second direction different from the first direction.

4. The cleaner system of claim 3 , wherein the cleaner is configured to move in the first direction and then move in the second direction relative to the cleaner station to thereby couple to the cleaner station.

5. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the dust collecting motor is configured to rotate about a dust collecting motor axis to thereby generate the suction force for suctioning the dust in the dust bin into the dust collecting space,

wherein the suction flow path extends in a longitudinal axis of the suction part, and

wherein, based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, the sealer is disposed between the dust collecting motor axis and the longitudinal axis of the suction part.

6. The cleaner system of claim 5 , wherein the dust collecting motor axis is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the suction part.

7. The cleaner system of claim 5 , wherein the dust collecting motor axis intersects the rotation axis of the suction motor.

8. The cleaner system of claim 5 , wherein the cleaner station further comprises a charging part disposed at the coupling surface and configured to electrically connect to the cleaner, and

wherein, based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, the charging part is disposed between the dust collecting motor axis and the longitudinal axis of the suction part.

9. The cleaner system of claim 8 , wherein the charging part is disposed above the sealer in the longitudinal direction of the cleaner station.

10. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaner further comprises a battery configured to supply power to the suction motor, and

wherein, based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, the battery is disposed above the rotation axis of the suction motor in a vertical direction with respect to a ground surface that supports the cleaner station.

11. The cleaner system of claim 10 , wherein, based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, the dust bin is disposed between the sealer and the battery in the vertical direction.

12. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the dust collecting motor is configured to rotate about a dust collecting motor axis that intersects the rotation axis of the suction motor, and

wherein an intersection point of the dust collecting motor axis and the rotation axis of the suction motor is disposed rearward relative to the sealer.

13. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the dust collecting motor is configured to rotate about a dust collecting motor axis that intersects the rotation axis of the suction motor, and

wherein an intersection point of the dust collecting motor axis and the rotation axis of the suction motor is disposed below a top surface of the cleaner station.

14. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaner further comprises a main body comprising:

a main body housing that accommodates the suction motor; and

a handle connected to the main body housing, and

wherein, based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, the handle is disposed above the rotation axis of the suction motor in a vertical direction with respect to a ground surface that supports the cleaner station.

15. The cleaner system of claim 14 , wherein, based on the cleaner being coupled to the cleaner station, the handle is disposed at an opposite side of the sealer with respect to the dust bin in the vertical direction.

16. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the sealer is configured to support a lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the dust bin, and

wherein at least a portion of the sealer is curved along a circumferential direction of the dust bin.

17. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the direction intersecting the imaginary dust bin throughline includes the longitudinal direction of the cleaner housing.

18. The cleaner system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaner is configured to be coupled to the cleaner station in a state in which the imaginary dust bin throughline is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the cleaner housing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2023
From: KIM, SUNGJUN; SHIN, JINHYOUK; YANG, INGYU; KIM, YOUNGSOO; RYU, JUNGWAN; WIE, JEAHYUK; LEE, DONGJAE
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 063227/0952 →
Priority Claims (4)
KR 10-2020-0026803 · Mar 3, 2020 · national
KR 10-2020-0075901 · Jun 22, 2020 · national
KR 10-2020-0084782 · Jul 9, 2020 · national
KR 10-2020-0145692 · Nov 4, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17799504
Related Publication 20230079937A1 · Mar 16, 2023
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