Suction brush assembly

United States Patent Application 20080172822

A suction brush assembly is provided that includes a suction brush casing having a dust introducing channel for introducing dirt and a suction port for drawing the dirt from the dust introducing channel; a first and a second rotation plates rotatably disposed on a bottom surface of the suction brush casing and rotating in the opposite direction to each other; a rotation power source for providing power for rotating the rotation plates; a power transmission transmitting the rotation power of the rotation power source to the rotation plates; and a dirt guidance member formed on the first and the second rotation plates, for scraping off hairs or feathers from a surface to be cleaned to guide them to the dust introducing channel so that the hairs or the feathers can be easily guided to the suction port.

Oh, Jang-keun (Gwangju-City, KR)
Kim, Hyoun-soo (Geumjeong-gu, KR)

11/903594

07/24/2008

09/24/2007

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SAMSUNG GWANGJU ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

15/349

A47L9/10

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NGUYEN, DUNG V

Paul D. Greeley (Stamford, CT, US)

What is claimed is:

1. A suction brush assembly, comprising: a suction brush casing provided with a dust introducing channel for introducing dirt on a surface to be cleaned and a suction port for drawing the dirt from the dust introducing channel; a first and a second rotation plate rotatably disposed on a bottom surface of the suction brush casing and rotating in the opposite direction to each other; a rotation power source for providing power for rotating the first and the second rotation plates; a power transmission transmitting the rotation power of the rotation power source to the first and the second rotation plates; and a dirt guidance member formed on the first and the second rotation plates, for scraping off hairs or feathers of an animal spread on a surface to be cleaned to guide them to the dust introducing channel so that the hairs or the feathers can be easily guided to the suction port.

2. The suction brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of projection ribs arranged in spaces along a helical shape which runs from a center of the first and the second rotation plates to an outside of the first and the second rotation plates, respectively, a rotation direction of the first rotation plate and a direction that the projection ribs are arranged on the first rotation plate are opposite to each other, and a rotation direction of the second rotation plate and a direction that the projection ribs are arranged on the second rotation plate are opposite to each other.

3. The suction brush assembly of claim 2, wherein the dust introducing channel is formed at a front of the suction brush casing along a longitudinal direction of the suction brush casing.

4. The suction brush assembly of claim 2, wherein the dust introducing channel is formed in a shape which surrounds some front portion of the first and the second rotation plates disposed on the bottom surface of the suction brush casing.

5. The suction brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of rod members having a projected side end and arranged in spaces along a helical shape which runs from a center of the first and the second rotation plates to an outside of the first and the second rotation plates, respectively, a rotation direction of the first rotation plate and a direction that the rod members are arranged in the helical shape on the first rotation plate are opposite to each other, and a rotation direction of the second rotation plate and a direction that the rod members are arranged in the helical shape on the second rotation plate are opposite to each other.

6. The suction brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of loop members arranged in a spaces along a helical shape which runs from a center of the first and the second rotation plates to an outside of the first and the second rotation plates, respectively, a rotation direction of the first rotation plate and a direction that the loop members are arranged in the helical shape on the first rotation plate are opposite to each other, and a rotation direction of the second rotation plate and a direction that the loop members are arranged in the helical shape on the second rotation plate are opposite to each other.

7. The suction brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of fibers planted along a helical shape which runs from a center of the first and the second rotation plates to an outside of the first and the second rotation plates, respectively, a rotation direction of the first rotation plate and a direction that the plurality of fibers are planted in the helical shape on the first rotation plate are opposite to each other, and a rotation direction of the second rotation plate and a direction that the plurality of fibers are planted in the helical shape on the second rotation plate are opposite to each other.

8. The suction brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the dirt guidance member is made of rubber.

9. A suction brush assembly, comprising: a suction brush casing having a dust introducing channel and a suction port; a first rotation plate disposed on a bottom surface of the suction brush casing for rotation in a first rotation direction; a second rotation plate disposed on the bottom surface for rotation in a second rotation direction, the first and second rotation directions being opposite one another other; a rotation power source generating a rotation power; a power transmission transmitting the rotation power to the first and the second rotation plates in the first and second rotation directions, respectively; a first dirt guidance member on the first rotation plate, the first dirt guidance member being configured to scrape hair or feathers from a surface to be cleaned and to guide the hair or feathers to the dust introducing channel, the suction port drawing the hair or feathers from the dust introducing channel; and a second dirt guidance member on the second rotation plate, the second dirt guidance member being configured to scrape hair or feathers from the surface to be cleaned and to guide the hair or feathers to the dust introducing channel.

10. The suction brush assembly of claim 9, wherein the first dirt guidance member comprises a first helical shape which runs in a first helical direction from a center of the first rotation plate to an outside of the first rotation plate and the second dirt guidance member comprises a second helical shape which runs in a second helical direction from a center of the second rotation plate to an outside of the second rotation plate.

11. The suction brush assembly of claim 10, wherein the first helical direction and the first rotation direction are opposite one another and the second helical direction and the second rotation direction are opposite one another.

12. The suction brush assembly of claim 10, wherein the first dirt guidance member and/or the second dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of projection ribs.

13. The suction brush assembly of claim 10, wherein the first dirt guidance member and/or the second dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of rod members having a projected side end and arranged in spaces along the helical shape.

14. The suction brush assembly of claim 10, wherein the first dirt guidance member and/or the second dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of loop members arranged in spaces along the helical shape.

15. The suction brush assembly of claim 10, wherein the first dirt guidance member and/or the second dirt guidance member comprises a plurality of fibers arranged in spaces along the helical shape.

16. The suction brush assembly of claim 9, wherein the dust introducing channel is formed at a front of the suction brush casing along a longitudinal direction of the suction brush casing.

17. The suction brush assembly of claim 9, wherein the dust introducing channel is formed in a shape which surrounds some front portion of the first and the second rotation plates disposed on the bottom surface of the suction brush casing.

18. The suction brush assembly of claim 9, wherein the first dirt guidance member and/or the second dirt guidance member is made of rubber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a suction brush assembly, and more particularly, to a suction brush assembly to remove hair or contaminants scattered on an object being cleaned efficiently.

2. Description of the Related Art

A vacuum cleaner suctions dust or contaminants from an object being cleaned, using a suction pressure generated in a suction motor housed within a main body, and a suction brush assembly contacting at a lower portion to the object being cleaned.

However, such suction brush assembly has a limit in its suction efficiency when cleaning pet hair or human hair scattered around the object being cleaned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a suction brush assembly for removing contaminants such as pet hair or human hair from an object being cleaned efficiently and thus maximizing cleaning efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a suction brush assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a suction brush assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an interior of a suction brush casing of FIG. 1, by cutting away an upper portion;

FIG. 4 illustrates a suction port in a varied configuration from the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a first rotating plate of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a first rotating plate in a varied configuration from the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a first rotating plate in a varied configuration from the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a first rotating plate in a varied configuration from the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a second rotating plate in a varied configuration from the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a suction brush assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be explained below.

The suction brush assembly 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention operates to collect and suction human hair or pet hair scattered around an object being cleaned, in which the downstream side is connected through a generally known extension passage (not illustrated) for fluid communication with the cleaner main body which houses therein a vacuum motor (not illustrated) and a dust separating device (not illustrated).

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the suction brush assembly 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a suction brush casing 110, a turbine fan 130, a first rotating plate 150, a second rotating plate 170, and a driving force transmitting means 190.

The suction brush casing 110 includes an extension pipe connector 120 formed on the rear portion to be connected with the extension passage (not illustrated) of the cleaner, and a rectangular suction port 115 extended lengthwise in the front lower portion. Contaminants are introduced through the suction port 115, moved through the inside of the suction brush casing 110 to the extension pipe connector 120, and entered into the extension passage (not illustrated).

The turbine fan 130 is rotatably installed on a rear portion of the suction brush casing 110.

The turbine fan 130 includes a plurality of turbine blades 130a. Accordingly, the turbine fan 130 is rotated as the incoming air through the suction port 115 collides against the turbine blades 130a.

The first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 are rotatably mounted on the lower portion of the suction brush casing 110 to rake in human or pet hair on the object being cleaned toward the suction port 115. To this end, the center of rotation of the first rotating plate 150 is fixed to a first rotating shaft 155 (FIG. 3), and the first rotating shaft 155 (FIG. 3) is rotatably inserted in an inner portion of the suction brush casing 110. The center of the second rotating plate 170 is fixed to the second rotating shaft 175 (FIG. 3), and the second rotating shaft 175 (FIG. 3) is rotatably inserted in an inner portion of the suction brush casing 110. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 have a plurality of projecting ribs 152a and 172a formed to have an appropriate thickness to efficiently rake in human or pen hair from the object being cleaned toward the suction port 115. The projecting ribs 152a and 172a are made of rubber material according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The plurality of projecting ribs 152a and 172a are spiraled from the center portion of the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170, at a predetermined space apart from each other. In other words, the projecting ribs 152a and 172a are formed on the lower surface of the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 in a spiral pattern. The first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 have opposite spirals, and referring to FIG. 2, the projecting ribs 152a of the first rotating plate 150 spiral from the center of the first rotating plate 150 clockwise, and the projecting ribs 172a of the second rotating plate 170 spiral from the center of the second rotating plate 170 counterclockwise.

While the projecting ribs 152a and 172a of the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 are formed to have a predetermined thickness, other alternatives are possible. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the second projecting ribs 152b may be implemented as multi-layered ribs 152b and arranged in an alternate pattern with the projection ribs 152a at predetermined intervals.

While the projecting ribs 152a and 172a are formed in a spiral configuration on the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 to guide human or pet hair toward the suction port 115 in the exemplary embodiment explained above, other alternatives are possible. Referring to FIG. 7, a plurality of rods 152c having extended tops may be arranged on the first rotating plate 150 in a clockwise spiral fashion. In this example, another rods are formed on the second rotating plate 170 in a counterclockwise spiral fashion.

Referring to FIG. 8, a plurality of hook loop members 152d may be arranged on the first rotating plate 150 in a clockwise spiral fashion around the center of the first rotating plate 150. In this example, loop members are formed on the second rotating plate 170 in a spiral fashion which is opposite to that on the first rotating plate 150.

While the rubber projecting ribs 152a and 172a are formed on the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 in a spiral pattern to rake human or pet hair on the object being cleaned and move this toward the suction port 115 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, other alternatives are possible. Referring to FIG. 9, a plurality of bristles 152e may be planted in the first rotating plate 150 in a spiral arrangement around the center of the first rotating plate 150, and bristles are also planted in the second rotating plate 170 in an opposite spiral arrangement to that of the bristles 152e planed in the first rotating plate 150. The bristles 152e may be made of various materials.

The driving force transmitting means 190 operates to transmit a driving force generated by the turbine fan 130 to the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170. The driving force transmitting means 190 includes a worm 137 extending horizontally along the coaxial direction of the turbine fan 130, and worm wheels 157 and 177 formed on the upper portion of the first and second rotating shafts 155 and 175 to correspond to the worm 137. However, the turbine fan 130 may transmit driving force to the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 in various alternative manners. While the above exemplary embodiment employs the turbine fan 130 to generate a driving force from the incoming air, a separate motor may be used instead of the turbine fan 130 to transmit the driving force to the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170.

In the above structure, a suction force is generated in the suction port 115 as the suction motor (not illustrated) starts operating inside the cleaner body, and thereby suctions dust-entrained air from an object being cleaned. In this process, the incoming air collides with the turbine blades 130a of the turbine fan 130 to rotate the turbine fan 130. According to the rotation of the turbine fan 130, the worm 137 formed coaxially with the turbine fan 130 rotates, transmitting the driving force to the worm wheels 157 and 177. By the driving force transmitted to the worm wheels 157 and 177, the first and second rotating shafts 155 and 175 integrally formed with the worm wheels 157 and 177 rotate together, and as a result, the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 fixed with the first and second rotating shafts 155 and 175 are rotated accordingly. Referring to FIG. 2, the first rotating plate 150 rotates counterclockwise, and the second rotating plate 170 rotates clockwise. In other words, the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 are rotated toward the center part 115a of the suction port 115.

While the suction port 115 of the suction brush assembly 100 is extended lengthwise along the front portion of the suction brush casing 110, other alternatives are possible. Referring to FIG. 4, the suction port 115 may be formed to overlap a part of the central axes of the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170.

While the first rotating plate 150 rotates counterclockwise, the projecting ribs 152a are arranged on the first rotating plate 150 in a clockwise spiral fashion around the center of the first rotating plate 150, and the second rotating plate 170 rotates clockwise, and the projecting ribs 172a are arranged on the second rotating plate 170 in a counterclockwise spiral fashion around the center of the second rotating plate 170, other alternatives are possible. For example, when the first rotating plate 150 rotates clockwise and the second rotating plate 170 rotates counterclockwise, the projecting ribs formed on the first rotating plate 150 may be arranged in a counterclockwise spiral fashion around the center of the first rotating plate 150, and the projecting ribs of the second plate 170 may be arranged in a clockwise fashion around the center of the second rotating plate 170.

Hereinbelow, the operation and effect of the suction brush assembly 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

When the suction motor (not illustrated) housed inside the cleaner body is driven, suction force is generated in the suction port 115, to suction dust-entrained air from an object being cleaned. Accordingly, the turbine fan 130 rotates by the incoming air, and the force by the rotation of the turbine fan 130 is transmitted to the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 by the driving force transmitting means 190 to rotate the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first rotating plate 150 rotates counterclockwise, and the second rotating plate 170 rotates clockwise. As the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 rotate, the projecting ribs 152a and 172a formed on the first and second rotating plates 150 and 170 scratch human or pet hair off from the object being cleaned. At this situation, because the projecting ribs 152a of the first rotating plate 150 are formed in a clockwise spiral fashion around the center of the first rotating plate 150 and the first rotating plate 150 rotates counterclockwise, human or pet hair raked by the projecting ribs 152a is pushed toward the suction port 115.

Furthermore, because the projecting ribs 172a of the second rotating plate 170 are formed in counterclockwise spiral fashion around the center of the second rotating plate 170 and the second rotating plate 170 rotates clockwise, human or pet hair raked by the projecting ribs 172a are pushed toward the suction port 115. As the human or pet hair is raked and pushed toward the suction port 115 by the projecting ribs 152a and 172a, the hair is introduced into the dust separating device (not illustrated) mounted in the cleaner body (not illustrated) through the extension passage (not illustrated).

A user of the suction brush assembly can clean human or pet hair more efficiently, because this contaminant is raked off from the object being cleaned and pushed toward the suction port. As a result, cleaning efficiency is increased.