Vacuum cleaner having steam cleaning function

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a steam cleaning function. The vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body having a suction motor and a dust collecting apparatus; a flexible hose connected to the cleaner body, and a cleaning unit having a steam generator and at least one dust-cloth. The cleaning unit is detachably connected to the cleaner body and can be supplied with an electric power from a different power source so as to individually perform the steam cleaning.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a vacuum cleaner having a steam cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating A area in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a cleaning unit separated from the vacuum cleaner having a steam cleaning function of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a selection switch and a control switch disposed on a handle of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating B area in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the vacuum cleaner having a steam cleaning function of FIG. 1 with a extension pipe extracted from a connecting pipe;

FIGS. 7 a and 7b are a plan view and a bottom view illustrating a brush of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating C area in FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner having a steam cleaning function, the vacuum cleaner comprising: a cleaner body having a suction motor and a dust collecting apparatus;a flexible hose connected to the cleaner body, and a cleaning unit having a steam generator and at least one dust-cloth;wherein, when performing steam cleaning and vacuum cleaning or vacuum cleaning alone, the cleaning unit is connected to the flexible hose; andwherein, when performing a steam cleaning function alone, the cleaning unit is separated from the flexible hose and individually performs the steam cleaning function.

2. The vacuum cleaner of the claim 1, further comprising: a first electric wire connected to the cleaner body, anda second electric wire connected to the first electric wire and the cleaning unit.

3. The vacuum cleaner of the claim 2, wherein each of the first and second electric wires further comprises a male connector and a female connector disposed at opposite ends thereof; wherein the female connector is disposed at a rear end of each of the first and second electric wires through which an electric power is applied from the cleaner body to the cleaning unit.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the cleaner body further comprises a female connector into which the male connector of the first electric wire inserted.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the first electric wire is fixed at the flexible hose in a longitudinal direction of the flexible hose, and the second electric wire is fixed at a connecting pipe in a longitudinal direction of the connecting pipe.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further comprising: a third electric wire connected to the second electric wire when the cleaning unit is separated from the flexible hose for the steam cleaning.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit comprises; a handle detachably connected to the flexible hose;a connecting pipe connected to the handle; anda brush connected to the connecting pipe.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the brush comprises; a steam generator storing water and generating steam; andat least one cloth rotating part rotating the at least one cloth.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the cleaning unit further comprises; an extension pipe extractably disposed inside the connecting pipe,wherein the extension pipe connects the handle with the connecting pipe.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the second electric wire is extended according to an extracted length of the extension pipe.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the second electric wire has a coil part formed in a coil shape.

12. A vacuum cleaner having a steam cleaning function, the vacuum cleaner comprising: a dust collecting section;a cleaning section; anda removable connector between the dust collecting and cleaning sections,wherein, the removable connector connects the sections when performing steam cleaning and vacuum cleaning or vacuum cleaning alone and the cleaning section alone is used to individually perform a steam cleaning function.

13. The vacuum cleaner of the claim 12, further comprising: a first electric wire connected to the dust collecting section; anda second electric wire connected to the first electric wire and the cleaning section.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, further comprising: a third electric wire connected to the second electric wire when the cleaning unit is separated from the connector for the steam cleaning.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the cleaning section comprises: a handle detachably connected to the connector;a connecting pipe connected to the handle; anda brush connected to the connecting pipe.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the brush comprises: a steam generator storing water and generating steam; andat least one cloth rotating part rotating at least one cloth.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the cleaning section further comprises; an extension pipe extractably disposed inside the connecting pipe,wherein the extension pipe connects the handle with the connecting pipe.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the second electric wire is extended according to an extracted length of the extension pipe.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the second electric wire has a coil part formed in a coil shape.