Brush assembly for vacuum cleaner and vacuum cleaner employing the same

Abstract

A brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner includes a brush body having a suction pathway in fluid communication with a cleaner body of the vacuum cleaner; a brush having a suction port in fluid communication with the suction pathway of the brush body, the brush being disposed to rotate at the brush body, and a sealing part sealing between the suction pathway and the suction port for the brush to rotate with respect to the brush body. The sealing part forms a gap for outside air to enter the suction pathway of the brush body through as the brush rotates with respect to the brush body.

1 . A brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner, the brush assembly comprising: 
 a brush body having a suction pathway in fluid communication with a cleaner body of the vacuum cleaner,    a brush having a suction port in fluid communication with the suction pathway of the brush body, the brush being disposed to rotate at the brush body, and    a sealing part configured to seal between the suction pathway and the suction port for the brush to rotate with respect to the brush body, the sealing part forming a gap for outside air to enter the suction pathway of the brush body through as the brush rotates with respect to the brush body.    
   
   
       2 . The brush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing part comprises: 
 an upper sealing part formed at the suction pathway, and    an under sealing part extending from a top end of the suction port, the under sealing sliding on the upper sealing,    wherein, as the brush rotates with respect to the brush body at a predetermined angle, the gap is formed between the upper sealing and the under sealing so that outside air enters the suction pathway through the gap.    
   
   
       3 . The brush assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the brush includes a hinge disposed at a side of the suction port, and has at least an outside air hole formed at a part of the under sealing opposite to the hinge.  
   
   
       4 . The brush assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the upper sealing and under sealing are substantially formed as rectangular pipes, and a top end of one wall of the under sealing and a bottom end of the upper sealing form the gap.  
   
   
       5 . The brush assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the one wall of the under sealing is farthest away from a rotation center of the brush.  
   
   
       6 . The brush assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the one wall of the under sealing forms the gap between the top end thereof and the bottom end of the upper sealing as the brush inclines 2 degrees or more downward with respect to the brush body.  
   
   
       7 . The brush assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the under sealing is bent based on a rotation center of the brush.  
   
   
       8 . The brush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein as the brush assembly moves in a first direction, the brush rotates with respect to the brush body so that the gap is formed in the sealing part, and as the brush assembly moves in a second direction, the gap is closed.  
   
   
       9 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a cleaner body configured to generate suction force;    an extension pipe assembly in fluid communication with the cleaner body, the extension pipe assembly forming a passage for contaminants; and    a brush assembly in fluid communication with the extension pipe assembly, the brush assembly being configured to draw in the contaminants,    wherein the brush assembly comprises, 
 a brush body having a suction pathway in fluid communication with the extension pipe assembly,  
 a brush having a suction port in fluid communication with the suction pathway of the brush body, the brush being disposed to rotate at the brush body, and  
 a sealing part configured to enable outside air to enter the suction pathway of the brush body as the brush assembly moves in a first direction, and configured to prevent outside air from entering the suction pathway of the brush body as the brush assembly moves in a second direction.  
   
   
   
       10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the sealing part comprises: 
 an upper sealing formed at the suction pathway of the brush body, and    an under sealing extending from a top end of the suction port of the brush, the under sealing sliding on the upper sealing, and    wherein, as the brush assembly moves in the first direction, the brush rotates with respect to the brush body at a predetermined angle so that the gap is formed between the upper sealing and the under sealing.    
   
   
       11 . A brush assembly, comprising: 
 a brush body,    a brush; and    means for forming a gap through which air passes.    
   
   
       12 . The brush assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the brush body further comprises a suction pathway.  
   
   
       13 . The brush assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the gap enables air to travel through the suction pathway.  
   
   
       14 . The brush assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the means for forming a gap includes: 
 first means for sealing; and    second means for sealing.    
   
   
       15 . The brush assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first means for sealing is slideable relative to the second means for sealing.  
   
   
       16 . The brush assembly of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first means for sealing and the second means for sealing is flexible.  
   
   
       17 . The brush assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the brush is configured to rotate about a hinge.