Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a handy cleaner-integrated vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner includes a main body having a body inlet, a body outlet and a mounting part, and accommodating a motor assembly to induce air into the main body through the body inlet and then to discharge the air through the body outlet, a dust container mounted on the mounting part to filter foreign matter from air, a driving unit mounted on the mounting part and coupled to the dust container to generate a suction force in the dust container when the dust container is detached from the main body, and a power supply device to supply electrical power to the driving unit. The vacuum cleaner allows vacuum cleaning without a separate handy cleaner even in a narrow space, and provides an improved battery-mounting structure to allow convenient recharge and replacement of the battery, and a convenient repair.

1 . A vacuum cleaner apparatus comprising:
 a main body comprising a first mounting station and a first suction source;   a first member releasably secured to the main body on the first mounting station, wherein the first member comprising a first housing and a dust container, which is defined by or enclosed in the first housing;   a second member comprising a second housing and a second suction source enclosed in the second housing;   wherein when released from the main body, the first member is capable of forming an operable vacuum cleaning connection with the second member so as to provide a handheld vacuum cleaner; and   wherein when secured to the main body, the first member does not form an operable vacuum cleaning connection with the second member and rather forms an operable vacuum cleaning connection with the first suction source so as to provide another vacuum cleaner.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further comprises a second mounting station formed on the main housing, wherein the second member is releasably secured to the main body. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the main body does not comprise a mounting station to secure the second member. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing comprises a first inlet and a first outlet in fluid communication with the dust container. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the main body comprises a first suction passage and a second suction passage, wherein when the first member is secured to the main body, the first suction passage is in fluid communication with the dust container via the first inlet, and the first suction source and the first outlet are in fluid communication via the second suction passage. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first housing comprises a first wall, and the main body comprises a second wall, wherein the first wall and the second wall oppose and contact each other, wherein the first inlet and the first outlet are formed through the first wall. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the second suction passage has an opening formed through the second wall of the main body, wherein the first outlet is configured to engage with the opening of the second suction passage so as to permit an airflow from the dust container to the first suction source via the second suction passage. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the second housing comprises a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the second suction source is configured to create a forced airflow from the second inlet to the second outlet. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein when the first and second members form the handheld vacuum cleaner, the first outlet is engaged with the second inlet. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first housing defines an airflow path between the first inlet and the first outlet, wherein the apparatus further comprises a filter in the airflow path such that air flowing into the first housing via the first inlet is filtered by the filter prior to being discharged from the first housing via the first outlet. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first housing defines an airflow path between the first inlet and the first outlet, wherein the airflow path is configured to generate a swirling airflow as air flows therethrough. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the other vacuum cleaner is a canister type vacuum cleaner. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second members further comprises a rechargeable battery. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a battery charging station in the main body and configured to connect to the rechargeable battery. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first member is configured to be secured to and released from the main body without use of a tool. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first member further comprises a handle of the handheld vacuum cleaner. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further define a compartment configured to receive at least one selected from the group consisting of nozzles and extension tubes. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an air intake tube connected to the second housing, wherein the air intake tube is configured to initially receive outside air and guide the air to a conduit defined in the second housing, wherein when the first and second members form the handheld vacuum cleaner, the conduit of the second handheld housing interconnects between the air intake tube and the first housing such that outside air is initially received by the air intake tube and travels to the first housing via the conduit of the second housing. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the air intake tube is configured to hingedly move relative to the second member between a first position and a second position, wherein the air intake tube is in fluid communication with the conduit in the first position, and wherein the air intake tube is not in fluid communication with the conduit in the second position. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the main body further comprises a second mounting station, wherein the second member is releasably secured to the main body, wherein the air intake tube is in the second position when the second member is secured to the main body.