Upright vacuum cleaner having suction path diverting valve

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner is provided that includes a cleaner body having a suction motor, a dust-collecting unit, and a body frame where the suction motor and the dust-collecting unit are disposed, a suction inlet body which is hinged to a lower end of the body frame, a hose which has one side fluidly communicating with the body frame and the other side fluidly communicating with an extension pipe through a manipulation handle, and a suction path diverting valve which is disposed on the body frame and has a valve member elastically arranged on a suction path. As the extension pipe is inserted into or withdrawn from a socket on the body frame, the valve member selectively diverts the suction path to a first suction path flowing from the suction inlet body to the dust-collecting unit or a second suction path flowing from the extension pipe to the dust-collecting unit.

1 . An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaner body which comprises a suction motor, a dust-collecting unit, and a body frame where the suction motor and the dust-collecting unit are disposed;   a suction inlet body which is hinged to a lower end of the body frame;   a hose which has one side fluidly communicating with the body frame and the other side fluidly communicating with an extension pipe through a manipulation handle; and   a suction path diverting valve which is disposed on a backside of the body frame and has a valve member elastically arranged in a suction path,   wherein, as the extension pipe is inserted into or withdrawn from a socket disposed on a backside of the body frame in a lengthwise direction, the valve member selectively diverts the suction path to a first suction path flowing from the suction inlet body to the dust-collecting unit or a second suction path flowing from the extension pipe to the dust-collecting unit.   
   
   
       2 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the suction path diverting valve comprises:
 a first suction duct which has one side fluidly communicating with the suction inlet body and the other side fluidly communicating with the dust-collecting unit, the first suction duct being disposed on a backside of the body frame parallel with the socket; and   a second suction duct which has one side fluidly communicating with the hose and the other side fluidly communicating with the first suction duct,   wherein the valve member slides in the first suction duct, thereby opening and closing the second suction duct, and has a push portion extending from one side of the valve member so that the push portion is pressed by the extension pipe when the extension pipe is inserted into the socket and released from a pressure of the extension pipe when the extension pipe is withdrawn from the socket.   
   
   
       3 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the valve member is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a communication hole formed on a circumference surface thereof to fluidly communicate with the second suction duct. 
   
   
       4 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the second suction duct is arranged in a perpendicular relation with respect to the first suction duct, and a return spring is disposed on the second suction duct to elastically support the push portion. 
   
   
       5 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein, as the push portion is released from the pressure by the extension pipe and upwardly and elastically supported by the return spring, the valve member fluidly communicates with the second suction duct, and as the push portion is pressed by the extension pipe, the valve member fluidly communicates with the first suction duct. 
   
   
       6 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the suction path diverting valve comprises:
 a first suction duct which has one side fluidly communicating with the suction inlet body and is disposed on a backside of the body frame parallel with the socket;   a connection duct which has one side fluidly communicating with the other side of the first suction duct coaxially with the first suction duct and the other side fluidly communicating with the suction inlet body, and has a path diverting chamber defined therein; and   a second suction duct which has one side fluidly communicating with the hose and the other side fluidly communicating with the connection duct in a perpendicular relation to the connection duct,   wherein the valve member is pivotably disposed in the path diverting chamber, thereby selectively allowing the first suction duct to fluidly communicate with the second suction duct or the suction inlet body.   
   
   
       7 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the valve member is formed in a plate shape. 
   
   
       8 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the suction path diverting valve comprises:
 an operating member which is elastically disposed on an external side of the second suction duct and is pressed by the extension pipe and released from a pressure by the extension pipe; and   a link which has one side fixed to a rotary shaft of the valve member to pivot the valve member in a normal direction or a reverse direction in cooperation with the operating member.   
   
   
       9 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the link has a second side slidably connected with the operating member such that the link is inclined as the operating member moves up and down. 
   
   
       10 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a return spring disposed on the second suction duct to elastically support the operating member. 
   
   
       11 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein, as the operating member is released from the pressure by the extension pipe and upwardly and elastically supported by the return spring, the valve member turns in a normal direction through the link, thereby allowing the first and the second suction ducts to fluidly communicate with each other, and
 as the operating member is pressed by the extension pipe and thus turns the link in a reverse direction, the valve member allows the suction inlet body to fluidly communicate with the first suction duct.   
   
   
       12 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the suction path diverting valve comprises:
 a first suction duct which has one side fluidly communicating with the suction inlet body;   a second suction duct which has one side fluidly communicating with the hose;   a valve housing which has a lower end fluidly communicating with the other side of each of the first and the second suction ducts and is fixedly disposed on a backside surface of the body frame; and   a guide duct which has one side fluidly communicating with an upper side of the valve housing and the other side fluidly communicating with the dust-collecting unit,   wherein the valve member is pivotably disposed in the valve housing, and has a first communication hole selectively communicating with the first and the second suction ducts, and a second communication hole to guide dust and air passing through the first communication hole toward the guide duct.   
   
   
       13 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the valve member elastically pivots in the valve housing by a torsion spring. 
   
   
       14 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the valve member is formed in an arc shape and is disposed in the valve housing formed in a cylindrical shape, and the first and the second communication holes penetrate through different side surfaces of the valve member. 
   
   
       15 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the suction path diverting valve comprises:
 a push portion which is disposed above the valve housing and is pressed by the extension pipe and released from a pressure by the extension pipe; and   a push rod which extends from a lower end of the push portion and has a terminal end penetrating through the valve housing and contacting with the valve member such that the push rod presses one side of the valve member with the pressure applied to the push portion.   
   
   
       16 . The upright vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein, as the push portion is released from the pressure by the extension pipe, the valve member is pivoted in a normal direction by the torsion spring, thereby allowing the first communication hole to fluidly communicate with the second suction duct, and
 as the push portion is pressed by the extension pipe, the valve member is pivoted in a reverse direction, thereby allowing the first communication hole to fluidly communicate with the first suction duct.