Apparatus for preventing motor overload of vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A motor overload preventing apparatus for a vacuum cleaner includes a damper body and an resilient member. The damper body has an opening/closing portion formed on one end, to selectively block a tapered aperture of a body frame of the vacuum cleaner, and the opening/closing portion is tapered to correspond in shape with the aperture. The resilient member resiliently biases the opening/closing portion toward a direction of closing the aperture. The damper body is movably disposed to rotate so as to selectively open and close the aperture, and to this end, it is preferred that the damper body is connected by a hinge to the body frame. Satisfactory sealing can be ensured even when there is surface contact between the opening/closing portion and the aperture without requiring additional material, such as a rubber. Additionally, the number of components can be reduced, and with the omission of flexible material, such as rubber, the manufacturing costs can be reduced.

1 . An apparatus for preventing motor overload during operation of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a damper body having an opening/closing portion formed adjacent to a first end to selectively block a tapered aperture extending through a body frame of the vacuum cleaner, the opening/closing portion being tapered to correspond in shape with the tapered shape of the aperture; and    a resilient member to resiliently bias the opening/closing portion toward the direction of closing the aperture.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the damper body is mounted and movably disposed to rotate so as to selectively open and close the aperture.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the damper body is connected to the body frame and is transversely transposable to selectively open and close the aperture.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the damper body is connected to the body frame by a mounting mechanism removed from the aperture through the cooperation of a rotary axis which is disposed adjacent a second end of the damper body, the mounting mechanism having a hinge portion which has an axis mount for receiving the rotary axis in an upright position and the mounting mechanism protrudes outwardly from the body frame.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the resilient member further comprises a plate spring, having two ends, which engages the damper body adjacent the first end, and engages the body frame adjacent the second end.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient member further comprises a plate spring, having two ends, which engages the damper body adjacent the first end, and engages the body frame adjacent the other end.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein one end of the resilient member overlaps the damper body and the other end overlaps the body frame.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein one end of the resilient member overlaps the damper body and the other end overlaps the body frame.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting mechanism further comprises a hinge portion protruding from the body frame, and having a plate engagement section connected to the second end of the resilient member so as to enable adjustment of the recovery force provided by the resilient member by adjusting the position with respect to the body frame.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting mechanism further comprises a hinge portion protruding from the body frame, and having a plate engagement section connected with the second end of the resilient member so as to enable adjustment of the recovery force provided by the resilient member by adjusting the position of the hinge portion with respect to the body frame.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the hinge portion is adjustable in the height to which it protrudes from the surface of the body frame of the vacuum cleaner.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the hinge portion is adjustable in the height to which it protrudes from the surface of the body frame of the vacuum cleaner.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a cap portion is disposed adjacent the second end of the damper body, and 
 the resilient member further comprises a coil spring interposed between the opening/closing portion of the damper body and the cap portion.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the coil spring is shaped and configured having a diameter that is larger than the smallest diameter of the tapered opening/closing portion of the damper body, and is larger than the smallest diameter of the aperture.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the damper body comprises a plurality of holes to permit air to flow therethrough.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of holes extend in a lengthwise direction of the damper body, thereby defining posts.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the cap portion comprises a plurality of holes to permit air to pass therethrough.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the coil spring is fixed to the body frame adjacent one end, and fixed to the cap portion adjacent the other end.