Patent Application
20250040778
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (b) to Chinese Patent Application No. CN202310967783X, filed on Aug. 2, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to the field of household appliances, in particular to a cleaning device, such as a vacuum cleaner, a mopping apparatus or a floor sweeper.
Cleaning devices are generally fitted with a dust bin for collecting dust and other dirt. A fluid communication duct is generally provided between the dust bin and a body of the device, the duct allowing air or dust and other dirt to pass through. A sealing member may be provided at the position of connection between the dust bin and the device body to prevent outward leakage of gases or dust. Existing sealing members are quite complex in structure, and usually need to be fitted to both the device body and the dust bin by insertion, in order to ensure sealing quality, but such a configuration makes removal of the dust bin from the device body inconvenient. Sealing members which are structurally simple can be envisaged, but structurally simple sealing members are likely to result in a poor sealing effect, fatigue damage after a long period of use, and so on.
Furthermore, existing cleaning devices have room for improvement in other respects, for example: there are few alignment feature structures between the dust bin and the device body, so deviation from the correct installation position is likely to occur in the process of installing the dust bin; a sealing structure between a handle and the device body is overly complex, making removal of the handle from the device difficult; a connection structure for fitting a cleaning fluid tank, used for holding cleaning fluid, to the device is difficult to operate; a mounting bracket for a vibrating component motor has too simple a structure, so the motor is easily damaged in use and has a short service life; and a suction cleaning part of the cleaning device contains complex ducts and electric wires, so components for accommodating or carrying these ducts and electric wires usually need to be additionally provided, which increases the overall volume of the structure as well as the manufacturing cost.
Thus, it is necessary to provide a cleaning device to at least partially solve the abovementioned problems.
The present invention provides a cleaning device, with a sealing member provided in a region of connection of a body part and a dust collection component of the cleaning device, a cross section of an elastic force application portion of the sealing member being formed in an arc shape, thereby enabling a good sealing effect while also facilitating installation and removal of the dust collection component; moreover, the sealing member has a two-layer elastic wall structure and is therefore not likely to deform even with long-term use.
The cleaning device of the present invention also provides preferred configurations in other respects; for example, the present invention additionally provides an alignment structure between the dust collection component and a device body, further avoiding problems such as rocking and shifting during installation of the dust collection component; improves a sealing structure between a handle and the device body, facilitating installation and removal of the handle; improves an installation connection structure of a cleaning fluid storage tank and the device body, facilitating installation and removal of the cleaning fluid storage tank; improves the structure of a motor mounting bracket, avoiding excessive rocking of the motor during use, and thus being able to effectively extend the motor service life; and integrates part of a wall face of a cleaning apparatus with a part for accommodating and carrying electric wires, ducts and other structures, thus saving space and reducing manufacturing costs.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a cleaning device is provided, comprising:
In an embodiment, the sealing member comprises a mounting portion fixed to the body top portion, the mounting portion being connected to a top end of the outside wall, and a top end of the inside wall being a free end.
In an embodiment, the inside wall and the outside wall are formed in a shape, such as an annular shape, fitting the shape of the second gas channel port, and in particular, an axial dimension of the inside wall is substantially equal to an axial dimension of the outside wall.
In an embodiment, in a cross section through the axis, a sectional profile of the connecting wall forms a substantially arc-shaped portion, such as a semicircle, a ¼ circle or a teardrop shape, and preferably, the top wall is at a certain angle to a longitudinal direction of the cleaning device.
In an embodiment, the dust collection means has an inlet in communication with the cleaning apparatus, a filtration component positioned between the inlet and the second gas channel port is further provided in the dust collection means, and a gas suction apparatus is provided in the body top portion, the gas suction apparatus being used to suck gas from the dust collection means into the body top portion via the second gas channel port and the first gas channel port.
In an embodiment, a first positioning feature structure is provided on the dust collection means at a position of connection to the body side portion, and the body side portion has a second positioning feature structure corresponding to the first positioning feature structure, wherein the first positioning feature structure and the second positioning feature structure are positioned so that in the process of installing the dust collection means, the first positioning feature structure and the second positioning feature structure begin to engage with each other when the top wall of the dust collection means comes close to the sealing member.
In an embodiment, the first positioning feature structure is a rib that is positioned on the dust collection means near the bottom and projects in a first horizontal direction towards the body side portion, and the second positioning feature structure is a rib receiving slot of depth 3 mm,
In an embodiment, a positioning slot extending in a first horizontal direction is provided at the bottom of the dust collection means, and a positioning protrusion corresponding to the positioning slot is provided on a top surface of the body bottom portion; and/or
In an embodiment, the cleaning device comprises an elongated handle detachably mounted on the body top portion, wherein a second sealing member is mounted at a handle receiving port of the body top portion, the second sealing member having a sealing portion abutting an outer periphery of the handle, and in a cross section through a centre line of the handle, a sectional profile of the sealing portion is formed in a circular arc shape, in particular a semicircle, a ¼ circle, or a teardrop shape.
In an embodiment, the sealing portion comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a transitional portion which smoothly connects radial inner ends of the top wall and the bottom wall, a radial outer end of the top wall being fixed to the body top portion, and a radial outer end of the bottom wall being free.
In an embodiment, the body top portion contains a first support member and a second support member located at the bottom of the first support member, the second sealing member being located in an accommodating space jointly defined by the first support member and the second support member, and preferably, the handle has a locking pin projecting radially from an outer wall thereof, and the first support member is provided with a locking pin hole corresponding to the locking pin, the locking pin hole being spaced apart from the accommodating space.
In an embodiment, a cleaning fluid storage means is fitted to the body top portion, and a locking bolt and a button fixedly connected to the locking bolt are provided at the top of the cleaning fluid storage means, the locking bolt being constructed to be movable, under the driving action of the button, between a locked position in which the locking bolt extends into the body top portion and an unlocked position in which the locking bolt is disengaged from the body top portion,
In an embodiment, the cleaning fluid storage means has a bottom cover assembly, with a retainer provided at the bottom of the bottom cover assembly, the retainer having a top opening to partially install and accommodate the bottom cover assembly; a cleaning fluid discharge tube extending towards a bottom side is provided at the bottom of the retainer, and the retainer has two opposite wing parts projecting horizontally, the wing parts being received in corresponding accommodating parts in the body top portion, such that the retainer is pivotable.
In an embodiment, the wing parts are hollow round tube structures; more preferably, the two wing parts are coaxial but have different diameters, and more preferably, a bottom surface of the wing part with the larger diameter of the two wing parts is flush with a bottom surface of a body of the retainer,
In an embodiment, a motor and a motor mounting bracket are provided in the cleaning apparatus, wherein the motor mounting bracket comprises a mounting base and a circumferential portion which is annular and projects from the mounting base towards a top side, the circumferential portion surrounding the motor and being adapted in shape to the motor; preferably, the circumferential portion covers a region of the motor that exceeds ½ of an axial dimension thereof, and more preferably, the circumferential portion covers a region equivalent to ½-¾ of the motor in the axial direction thereof.
In an embodiment, a connecting component constructed to allow the cleaning apparatus to pivot relative to the body is provided between the cleaning apparatus and the body, and the cleaning apparatus comprises a mounting bracket for receiving the connecting component, a part of the mounting bracket forming part of an outer surface of the cleaning apparatus, and the mounting bracket further comprising an extension portion in the cleaning apparatus, the extension portion being constructed to cover or carry an electric wire or duct in the cleaning apparatus, and the mounting bracket being an integrally formed member,
To better understand the above and other objectives, features, advantages and functions of the present invention, reference may be made to the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings. In the drawings, identical or similar reference signs denote identical or similar components. It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that the drawings are intended to schematically illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, without imposing any limitations on the scope of the present invention, and that the various components in the drawings are not drawn to scale.
A cleaning device according to the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments set out below are merely preferred embodiments according to the present invention. A person skilled in the art could think of other ways of implementing the present invention on the basis of the preferred embodiments, and such other ways shall likewise fall within the scope of the present invention.
The present invention provides a cleaning device, such as a vacuum cleaner, which in particular may be a vacuum cleaner with a mopping function. It should first be explained that directional and positional terms in the present invention should be understood as meaning relative directions and positions, and should be interpreted with reference to the normal orientation of the cleaning device in a state of use (e.g.
The dust collection means 30 has two fluid channels respectively in communication with the body 20: a dirt inlet 31 formed on a side wall of the dust collection means 30, and a gas outlet 33 formed on a top wall 34 of the dust collection means 30. Referring to
In some embodiments which are not shown, the sealing member may not be a sealing ring. The sealing member may be a non-annular member, having an outside wall, an inside wall and an arc-shaped connecting wall, similar to the sealing member described above.
In particular, the annular inside wall 2522 and the annular outside wall 2521 are both circular ring structures around an axis X1, and an axial dimension of the inside wall 2522 is substantially equal to an axial dimension of the outside wall 2521. In another embodiment which is not shown, the sealing member 25 has a shape adapted to the shape of the gas outlet 33 overall; for example, the inside wall and outside wall may be constructed in an oval or square shape, etc. if the gas outlet 33 is oval or square, and an axis of the inside and outside walls may be a straight line through the centre point of a projected profile thereof.
The connecting wall 2523 of the sealing member 25 is configured to abut and be pressed tightly against the top wall 34 of the dust collection means 30 around the gas outlet 33.
Such a configuration of the sealing member 25 can achieve a good sealing effect while also facilitating installation and removal of the dust collection means 30. Moreover, the sealing member 25 is not likely to deform even with long-term use, due to having a two-layer elastic wall structure.
In the embodiment described above, the gas inlet 26 on the body top portion 21 forms a “first gas channel port”, and the gas outlet 33 of the dust collection means 30 forms a “second gas channel port”. In another embodiment which is not shown, the first gas channel port and second gas channel port may be other channel ports; for example, the first gas channel port and second gas channel port may be the outlet of the dust suction duct and the dirt inlet of the dust collection means. That is to say, the sealing member in the embodiment described above could also be used at other positions where gas channel ports are joined.
Continuing to refer to
It will be understood that in the process of installing the dust collection means 30, when the top wall 34 of the dust collection means 30 initially contacts the sealing member 25, the sealing member 25 is compressed elastically and applies a certain elastic force to the dust collection means 30, possibly causing the dust collection means 30 to rock and thus be positioned inaccurately, but by having the first positioning feature structure 351 and the second positioning feature structure 221 begin to engage with each other at or before this time, rocking and shifting of the dust collection means 30 due to the sealing member 25 contacting the dust collection means 30 can be avoided. Thus, the first positioning feature structure 351 and the second positioning feature structure 221 may be positioned such that: in the process of installing the dust collection means 30, the first positioning feature structure 351 and the second positioning feature structure 221 begin to engage with each other when the top of the dust collection means 30 comes close to the sealing member 25.
In some embodiments, there may be other positioning feature structures between the dust collection means 30 and the body 20. For example, a positioning slot 352 extending in the first horizontal direction H1 is provided at the bottom of the dust collection means 30, and a positioning protrusion 231 corresponding to the positioning slot 352 is provided on a top surface of the body bottom portion 23; a positioning block 353 protruding towards a bottom side is provided on the dust collection means 30 at a position close to the bottom and remote from the body side portion 22, and a receiving recess 232 corresponding to the positioning block is provided on the body bottom portion 23, the positioning protrusion 231 and the receiving recess 232 being separated by a separating wall 233. Preferably, when the dust collection means 30 is installed on the body 20, an outer surface of the positioning block 353 and an outer surface of the body bottom portion 23 are flush with each other.
When installing the dust collection means 30, the positioning block 353 and the receiving recess 232 engage with each other first, and the dust collection means 30 pivots around the positioning block 353, such that the positioning slot 352 of the dust collection means 30 engages with the positioning protrusion 231, and the separating wall is thus positioned between the positioning block 353 and the positioning slot 352. When the top wall 34 of the dust collection means 30 is about to come into contact with the sealing member 25, the rib and the side wall (i.e. the first positioning feature structure 351 and the second positioning feature structure 221) begin to engage with each other. As shown in
It should be explained that terms such as “first positioning feature structure” and “second positioning feature structure” mentioned in the present invention are merely used to distinguish between components. In fact, the components may be named in different ways. For example, the positioning block 353 may be called a first positioning part, while the receiving recess 232 is a first positioning counterpart corresponding to the first positioning part; and the part with reference numeral 351 may be called a second positioning part, while the part with reference numeral 221 is a second positioning counterpart corresponding to the second positioning part.
Referring to
The second sealing member 216 has the same advantages as the sealing member 25. For example, the configuration of a second sealing ring can achieve a good sealing effect while also facilitating mounting and removal of the handle 10. Moreover, the second sealing member 216 is not likely to deform even with long-term use, due to having a two-layer elastic wall structure.
In another embodiment which is not shown, the second sealing member may have a non-annular shape; the non-annular second sealing member may still have a top wall, a bottom wall, and a transitional portion in a circular arc shape, as in the second sealing member described above.
Preferably, the body top portion contains a first support member 217 and a second support member 213 located at the bottom of the first support member. The second sealing member 214 is located in an accommodating space jointly defined by the first support member 217 and the second support member 213, and the mounting portion of the second sealing member 216 may be snap-fitted to the first support member 217 and/or the second support member 213. More preferably, the handle has a locking pin 101 projecting radially from an outer wall thereof, and the first support member 217 is provided with a locking pin hole corresponding to the locking pin 101, the locking pin hole being spaced apart from the accommodating space, to prevent the locking pin 101 from interfering with the second sealing member 214.
In some preferred embodiments, there are also certain preferred configurations for an installation connection structure for the cleaning fluid storage means 40; these preferred configurations are shown in
First referring to
Turning to
The 3D structure of the retainer 47 is shown in
Now turning to
In some embodiments, a motor 52 for providing vibration for the cleaning apparatus 50 is installed in the cleaning apparatus 50. Referring to
Now referring to
It can be seen from the discussion of the embodiments above that sealing in the region of connection of the dust collection component and the body part of the present invention can achieve a good sealing effect while also facilitating installation and removal of the dust collection component; moreover, the sealing member has a two-layer elastic wall structure and is therefore not likely to deform even with long-term use. The present invention additionally provides an alignment structure between the dust collection component and the device body, further avoiding problems such as rocking and shifting during installation of the dust collection component; improves the sealing structure between the handle and the device body, facilitating installation and removal of the handle; improves the installation connection structure of the cleaning fluid storage tank and the device body, facilitating installation and removal of the cleaning fluid storage tank; improves the structure of the motor mounting bracket, avoiding excessive rocking of the motor during use, and thus being able to effectively extend the motor service life; and integrates part of a wall face of the cleaning apparatus with a part for accommodating and carrying electric wires, ducts and other structures, thus saving space and reducing manufacturing costs.
Through the above content, those skilled in the art will easily recognize that alternatives to the structures disclosed in the present invention may be used as feasible alternative embodiments, and embodiments disclosed in the present invention may be combined to produce new embodiments, which likewise fall within the scope of the attached claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202310967783X | Aug 2023 | CN | national |
