Suction nozzle assembly usable with vacuum cleaner having hair collecting member, vacuum cleaner having the same, and method for removing hair by using the same

Abstract

A suction nozzle assembly usable with a vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle body configured to move along a surface to be cleaned, the nozzle body having a contaminant suction opening; and a hair collecting unit disposed at the nozzle body; wherein the hair collecting unit comprises a hair collecting member that contacts the surface to be cleaned; wherein when the nozzle body moves, the hair collecting member does not rotate; and wherein when the nozzle body moves in a first direction, the hair collecting member collects fibers from the surface to be cleaned.

1 . A suction nozzle assembly usable with a vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a nozzle body configured to move along a surface to be cleaned, the nozzle body having a contaminant suction opening; and   a hair collecting unit disposed at the nozzle body;   wherein the hair collecting unit comprises a hair collecting member that contacts the surface to be cleaned;   wherein, when the nozzle body moves, the hair collecting member does not rotate; and   wherein, when the nozzle body moves in a first direction, the hair collecting member collects fibers from the surface to be cleaned.   
   
   
       2 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hair collecting member comprises a hair collecting drum substantially formed in a cylindrical shape. 
   
   
       3 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 2 , wherein, when a moving direction of the nozzle body changes, the hair collecting drum rotates by a predetermined angle. 
   
   
       4 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 3 , wherein, when the moving direction of the nozzle body changes, the hair collecting drum rotates within a range of 10 degrees to 180 degrees. 
   
   
       5 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the hair collecting unit further comprises a drum rotation restricting member,
 wherein the drum rotation restricting member is configured so that while the nozzle body is moving, the drum rotation restricting member does not allow the hair collecting drum to rotate, and   wherein the drum rotation restricting member is configured so that when a moving direction of the nozzle body changes, the drum rotation restricting member allows the hair collecting drum to rotate by a predetermined angle.   
   
   
       6 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the drum rotation restricting member comprises:
 a first ratchet device disposed at a first end of the hair collecting drum, the first ratchet device configured to allow the hair collecting drum to rotate in one direction, and   a second ratchet device disposed at a second end of the hair collecting drum, the second ratchet device configured to prevent the hair collecting drum from rotating in the one direction in which the first ratchet device allows the hair collecting drum to rotate.   
   
   
       7 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first ratchet device comprises:
 a first ratchet wheel disposed at the first end of the hair collecting drum, and   a ratchet pawl to restrict a rotating direction of the first ratchet wheel.   
   
   
       8 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the second ratchet device comprises:
 a second ratchet wheel disposed at the second end of the hair collecting drum, and   a lever ratchet disposed to rub against the surface to be cleaned, the lever ratchet being configured to restrict a rotating direction of the second ratchet wheel.   
   
   
       9 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second ratchet devices comprises:
 a rotating ratchet disposed at an end of the hair collecting drum, and   a stationary ratchet configured to correspond to the rotating ratchet, the stationary ratchet being configured to allow the rotating ratchet to rotate in only one direction.   
   
   
       10 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hair collecting member comprises a plurality of protrusions. 
   
   
       11 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of protrusions is formed at an incline with respect to the surface to be cleaned. 
   
   
       12 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a drum height adjusting member being configured to adjust a height of the hair collecting drum with respect to the surface to be cleaned.   
   
   
       13 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the drum height adjusting member comprises;
 first and second supporting members supporting opposite ends of the hair collecting drum, the first and second supporting members being elastically supported with respect to the nozzle body, and   first and second guiding portions guiding the first and second supporting members to move upward and downward with respect to the surface to be cleaned.   
   
   
       14 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hair collecting member is disposed in the nozzle body in at least one of in front of and behind the contaminant suction opening. 
   
   
       15 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hair collecting member is disposed inside the contaminant suction opening. 
   
   
       16 . The suction nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rotation brush rotatably disposed inside the contaminant suction opening of the nozzle body.   
   
   
       17 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a cleaner body; and   a suction nozzle assembly connected with the cleaner body to draw in contaminants from a surface to be cleaned, wherein the suction nozzle assembly comprises:   a nozzle body configured to move along the surface to be cleaned, the nozzle body having a contaminant suction opening, and   a hair collecting unit disposed at the nozzle body,   wherein the hair collecting unit comprises a hair collecting member that contacts the surface to be cleaned,   wherein when the nozzle body moves, the hair collecting member does not rotate, and   wherein when the nozzle body moves in a first direction, the hair collecting member collects fibers from the surface to be cleaned.   
   
   
       18 . A method for removing hair by using a suction nozzle assembly, comprising:
 moving a hair collecting drum of the suction nozzle assembly in a first direction along a surface to be cleaned so that fibers are separated from the surface to be cleaned and collected;   changing a moving direction of the hair collecting drum from the first direction to a second direction so that the hair collecting drum is rotated by a predetermined angle; and   moving the hair collecting drum in the second direction so that the collected fibers are drawn into a contaminant suction opening of the suction nozzle assembly.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the moving the hair collecting drum in the second direction further comprises:
 causing the fibers caught among a plurality of protrusions of the hair collecting drum to be separated from the plurality of protrusions and remain on the surface to be cleaned before being drawn into the contaminant suction opening.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, while the suction nozzle assembly is moving in the first direction or in the second direction, the hair collecting drum does not rotate.