Canister-type vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A canister-type vacuum cleaner has a cleaner body having a driving portion for generating a suction force and a dust chamber for collecting contaminants that are drawn in by the suction force of the driving unit; a suction extension pipe connected to the cleaner body; a suction brush disposed at an end of the suction extension pipe to draw in the contaminants of a cleaning surface with the suction force that is transmitted via the suction extension pipe; and an electrolytic liquid supply device disposed at the suction extension pipe, for spraying an electrolytic liquid to the cleaning surface through a lower side of the suction brush.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a canister-type vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a canister-type vacuum cleaner having an apparatus for generating an electrolytic liquid.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Generally, a canister-type vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body having a driving motor for generating a suction force, a suction extension pipe connected to the cleaner body, and a suction brush disposed at an end of the suction extension pipe.

[0005] A dust chamber is provided in the cleaner body, having a filtering unit and a dust receptacle therein. Accordingly, contaminants from the cleaning surface are drawn in by the suction force of the driving motor into the dust chamber through the suction brush, filtered out at a filtering device, and collected in the dust receptacle.

[0006] The suction extension pipe has a handle on which an on/off switch is provided. Accordingly, as a user grabs the handle and moves the suction brush along the cleaning surface, contaminants like dust or foreign substances on the cleaning surface are drawn in through the suction brush and thus removed from the cleaning surface.

[0007] However, stubborn stains on the floor or carpet can not be cleaned by the suction force of the driving motor alone, and thus, a floor-cloth brush or rotatable brush is rotatably disposed at the suction brush to clean the stained spots.

[0008] Another suggestion is to supply a cleaning liquid containing a detergent to clean the areas that are hardly cleaned by the rotatable brush or floor-cloth brush.

[0009] In the above suggestion's case, however, since there needs to be a cleaning liquid preparatory step of diffusing a certain amount of detergent in water, it is inconvenience for a user to use, and the cost increases.

[0010] Another problem is that the cleaning areas are often re-stained by the waste cleaning liquid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a canister-type vacuum cleaner improved to clean stains on the floor or carpet not using a detergent but by using a simple method.

[0012] The above object is accomplished by a canister-type vacuum cleaner according to the present invention, including a cleaner body having a driving portion for generating a suction force and a dust chamber for collecting contaminants that are drawn in by the suction force of the driving unit; a suction extension pipe connected to the cleaner body; a suction brush disposed at an end of the suction extension pipe to draw in the contaminants of a cleaning surface with the suction force that is transmitted via the suction extension pipe; and an electrolytic liquid supply device disposed at the suction extension pipe, for spraying an electrolytic liquid to the cleaning surface through a lower side of the suction brush.

[0013] The electrolytic liquid supply device includes an electrolytic liquid generating unit disposed at the suction extension pipe, for generating the electrolytic liquid from a raw water supply; and a spray unit for spraying the electrolytic liquid, generated at the electrolytic liquid generating unit, through an air suction port of the suction brush.

[0014] The spray unit includes a conveyance path connecting the electrolytic liquid generating unit and the air suction port of the suction brush; a spray pump disposed on the conveyance path; and a spray nozzle formed at an end of the conveyance path, for spraying the electrolytic liquid, which is conveyed to an outside of the air suction port of the suction brush.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The above-mentioned objects and the feature of the present invention will be more apparent by describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail referring to the appended drawings, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a canister-type vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the suction brush of FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrolytic liquid supply device of FIG. 1; and

[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing another example of suction brush employed in the canister-type vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 1, the canister-type vacuum cleaner according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cleaner body 10, a suction extension pipe 20 connected to the cleaner body 10, a suction brush 30 disposed at an end of the suction extension pipe 20, and an electrolytic liquid supply device 40 disposed at the suction extension pipe 20.

[0022] Like a general vacuum cleaner, the cleaner body 10 has a driving unit and a dust chamber, which are respectively formed inside. The driving unit has a driving motor for generating a suction force. A dust collecting filter or cyclone dust collecting device is disposed in the dust chamber to filter the contaminants from the drawn air.

[0023] If the suction brush 30 also functions to draw liquids in addition to the contaminants, it can have a liquid separating unit for separately collecting the liquid from the contaminants. As the above-mentioned is the way that is generally used in the wet-type cleaner, description thereof will be omitted here.

[0024] The suction extension pipe 20 is connected to the cleaner body 10 and includes a flexible hose 21, a suction pipe 23 connected to the flexible hose 21, and a handle 25 disposed between the hose 21 and the suction pipe 23. The suction pipe 23 has a construction that allows it to extend the length selectively.

[0025] The suction brush 30 is movably disposed at an end of the suction pipe 23. Referring to FIG. 2, the suction brush 30 has an air suction port 31 through which contaminants from the cleaning surface are drawn. A rotatable brush 33 can be additionally disposed at the air suction port 31. The rotatable brush 33 performs the cleaning operation in a beating movement against the cleaning surface while being rotated by the suction force or a separate driving force.

[0026] The electrolytic liquid supply device 40 supplies the cleaning surface with electrolytic liquid through the suction brush 30 to clean the carpet or floor. The electrolytic liquid supply device 40 has an electrolytic liquid generating unit 41 formed at the suction pipe 23, and a spray unit 43 for spraying the electrolytic liquid generated at the electrolytic liquid generating unit 41 to the cleaning surface through the air suction port 31 of the suction brush 30.

[0027] The electrolytic liquid generating unit 41 is well-known in the art, and one typical example is shown in FIG. 3.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 3, the electrolytic liquid generating unit 41 has a raw water tank 51 for holding waters like tap water, freshwater, groundwater, etc., a pump 52 for feeding the raw water of the raw water tank 51, a filter 53 for filtering the raw water that has passed the pump 52, a first and a second electrolyte baths 54 and 55, and an electrolyte tank 56.

[0029] The filter 53 filters out ions or impurities from the raw water. The raw water, passed through the filter 53, is flown into the first electrolyte bath 54. The first electrolyte bath 54 has a cathode plate 54a and an anode plate 54b. The first electrolyte bath 54 electrolytes the raw water and sends the resultant water to the second electrolyte bath 55. The second electrolyte bath 55 also has a cathode plate 55a and an anode plate 55b. The second electrolyte bath 55 is for additionally electrolyzing the water that has not electrolyte yet, and thereby generating an electrolytic liquid NaCIO.

[0030] Meanwhile, gaseous substances (usually hydrogen gas) are generated in the first and the second electrolyte baths 54 and 55. In order to remove the gaseous substances, a separate unit can be provided.

[0031] Although this embodiment depicts the first and the second electrolyte baths 54 and 55 being employed, the number of baths can be higher or lower, depending on the situations.

[0032] After that, the electrolytic liquid generated at the second electrolyte bath 55 is fed to the electrolyte tank 56 and stored therein.

[0033] A mixture bath 57 can also be provided to temporarily reserve the raw water that has passed the filter 53. In this case, the mixture bath 57 is supplied with a catalyzer from an additive tank 58 that is separately provided. The catalyzer can be a sodium chloride liquid, or sodium calium liquid, or calcium chloride liquid. Depending on the situation, a proper type of catalyzer can be selected.

[0034] Accordingly, a mixture of catalyzer and raw water is fed from the mixture bath 57 to the first electrolyte bath 54 and go through the electrolysis therein.

[0035] The above-described description about the electrolytic liquid generating unit 41 is only one example of the well-known electrolytic liquid generating means, and one will note that more variations are possible.

[0036] Meanwhile, the electrolytic liquid spray unit 43 includes an electrolytic liquid feed path 61 that connects the electrolyte tank 56 and the air suction port 31 of the suction brush 30, a spray pump 63 disposed on the electrolytic liquid feed path 61, and a spray nozzle 65 formed at an end of the electrolytic liquid feed path 61. The spray pump 63 pumps the electrolytic liquid from the reserve liquid of the electrolyte tank 56, so that the electrolytic liquid can be sprayed onto the cleaning surface through the spray nozzle 65.

[0037] The canister-type cleaner having the electrolytic liquid supply device constructed as above according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention sprays the electrolytic liquid, produced at the electrolytic liquid supply device 30, to outside through the air suction port 31 of the suction brush 30.

[0038] By the electrolytic liquid, stained spots are cleaned. The electrolytic liquid is also usable for waste water processing, or used as a bleaching agent for cotton fabrics, a disinfectant for water supply, a bactericidal agent, etc., and can clean even an old stubborn stain on the cleaning surface without a help of additional detergent.

[0039] There is no need to dissolve detergent in the raw water, and since there is no need to use any detergent, the cost also decreases.

[0040] Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the suction brush 70 equipped with the floor-cloth 71 at the lower side is mounted to the suction pipe 23, the electrolytic liquid, supplied through the electrolytic liquid feed path 61, is supplied to the floor-cloth 71. By the floor-cloth soaked with the electrolytic liquid, the cleaning operation can be carried out effectively.

[0041] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention should not be limited to the described preferred embodiment, but various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A canister-type vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a cleaner body having a driving portion for generating a suction force and a dust chamber for collecting contaminants that are drawn in by the suction force of the driving portion;

a suction extension pipe connected to the cleaner body;

a suction brush disposed at an end of the suction extension pipe to draw in the contaminants of a cleaning surface with the suction force that is exerted via the suction extension pipe; and

an electrolytic liquid supply device disposed at the suction extension pipe, for spraying an electrolytic liquid to the cleaning surface through a lower side of the suction brush.

2. The canister-type vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the electrolytic liquid supply device comprises:

an electrolytic liquid generating unit disposed at the suction extension pipe, for generating the electrolytic liquid from a raw water supply; and

a spray unit for spraying the electrolytic liquid, through an air suction port of the suction brush.

3. The canister-type vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the spray unit comprises:

a feeding path connecting the electrolytic liquid generating unit and the air suction port of the suction brush;

a spray pump disposed on the feeding path; and

a spray nozzle formed at an end of the feeding path, for spraying the electrolytic liquid through the air suction port.