Cleaning apparatus having vacuum cleaner and docking station

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus including a vacuum cleaner and a docking station is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting chamber in which foreign substances are collected, and a docking station configured to be connected to the dust collecting chamber to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber. The dust collecting chamber is configured to collect foreign substances through centrifugation, and configured to be docked to the docking station, and the docking station includes a suction device configured to suction the foreign substances and air in the dust collecting chamber docked to the docking station.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a vacuum cleaner;   a box-shaped dust collecting station configured to be in communication with the vacuum cleaner and configured to remove foreign substances collected by the vacuum cleaner;   wherein the dust collecting station comprises:
 a cover configured to pivot about an axis between an open position and a closed position; 
 a detachable dust bag configured to collect the foreign substances removed from the vacuum cleaner; 
 a panel forming at least part of a front surface, the panel configured to be moved to expose the cover of the dust collecting station toward a front of the dust collecting station, so that the cover is accessible from the front of the dust collecting station; 
 a rear surface arranged opposite the front surface; 
 wherein the detachable dust bag of the dust collecting station is removable from the dust collecting station toward the front of the dust collecting station, when the cover is in the open position. 
   
     
     
         28 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , wherein the vacuum cleaner and dust collecting station are configured so that air suctioned into the vacuum cleaner flows upward and then flows backward to be introduced into the dust collecting station, and the air in the dust collecting station flows downward and then flows to be discharged out of the dust collection station via a discharge port provided in the rear surface. 
     
     
         29 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , wherein the vacuum cleaner includes a dust collecting chamber configured to receive the foreign substances, the dust collecting chamber comprising:
 a dust collecting chamber body comprising an opening, the dust collecting chamber body comprising a cylindrical shape, and   a dust collecting chamber door configured so that in a case where the vacuum cleaner is operatively connected to the dust collecting station, the dust collecting chamber door is configured to allow access to the opening of the dust collecting chamber body so that the opening can communicate with the intake of the dust collecting station.   
     
     
         30 . The cleaning system of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the dust collecting chamber door is connected to the dust collecting chamber body via a hinge,   wherein the dust collecting chamber is configured so that in a case where the vacuum cleaner is not connected to the dust collecting station, the dust collecting chamber door is to be maintained in a closed position for closing the dust collecting chamber body via a latch, and   wherein the dust collecting chamber is configured so that in a case where the vacuum cleaner is connected to the dust collecting station, the dust collecting station is configured to allow the dust collecting chamber door to be switched from the closed position to an open position via the latch of the dust collecting chamber.   
     
     
         31 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises:
 a suction head configured to receive foreign substances via suction;   an extension tube configured to connect between at least the suction head and the dust collecting station;   a handle, and   a motor configured to generate suction airflow in the vacuum cleaner.   
     
     
         32 . The cleaning system of  claim 31 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to be connected to the dust collecting station such that the handle is arranged above the dust bag. 
     
     
         33 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , wherein an intake of the dust collecting station, the detachable dust bag, and a suction fan of the dust collecting station are arranged so that the detachable dust bag is provided between at least the intake and the suction fan. 
     
     
         34 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , wherein at least major portions of the front and rear surfaces, respectively, are generally parallel to a long axis of the dust collecting station. 
     
     
         35 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , wherein a discharge port of the dust collecting station comprises a plurality of discharge openings in the rear surface. 
     
     
         36 . The cleaning system of  claim 35 ,
 wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a filter, and   wherein the filter is configured so that, in a case where a suction fan of the dust collecting station generates airflow, the airflow passes through the filter and then flows to the discharge port.   
     
     
         37 . The cleaning system of  claim 36 , wherein the filter is detachably coupled to the dust collecting station. 
     
     
         38 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , further comprising another cover located at a top of the dust collecting station for providing selective access to a dust collecting chamber. 
     
     
         39 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a seating portion, comprising an opening, configured to be located proximate a dust collecting chamber and to communicate with the vacuum cleaner when the vacuum cleaner is operatively connected to the dust collecting station, and
 wherein the dust bag is located vertically between the seating portion and a suction fan.   
     
     
         40 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a dust collecting station;   a vacuum cleaner comprising: a suction head configured to receive foreign substances via suction, an extension tube configured to connect between at least the suction head and the dust collecting station, a handle, and a motor configured to generate suction airflow in the vacuum cleaner;   wherein the dust collecting station is configured to be in communication with the vacuum cleaner and configured to remove foreign substances collected by the vacuum cleaner;   wherein the dust collecting station comprises:
 a cover configured to pivot about an axis between an open position and a closed position; 
 a detachable bag configured to collect the foreign substances from the vacuum cleaner; 
 a panel forming at least part of a front surface, the panel configured to be moved to expose the cover of the dust collecting station toward a front of the dust collecting station, so that the cover is accessible from the front of the dust collecting station; 
 a rear surface arranged opposite the front surface; 
 wherein the detachable bag of the dust collecting station is removable from the dust collecting station toward the front of the dust collecting station, when the cover is in the open position. 
   
     
     
         41 . The cleaning system of  claim 40 , wherein the vacuum cleaner and dust collecting station are configured so that air suctioned into the vacuum cleaner flows upward and then flows to be introduced into the dust collecting station, and the air in the dust collecting station flows downward and then flows to be discharged out of the dust collection station via a discharge port provided in the rear surface. 
     
     
         42 . The cleaning system of  claim 40 , wherein the vacuum cleaner includes a dust collecting chamber configured to receive the foreign substances, the dust collecting chamber comprising:
 a dust collecting chamber body comprising an opening, the dust collecting chamber body comprising a cylindrical shape, and   a dust collecting chamber door configured so that in a case where the vacuum cleaner is operatively connected to the dust collecting station, the dust collecting chamber door is configured to allow access to the opening of the dust collecting chamber body so that the opening can communicate with the intake of the dust collecting station.   
     
     
         43 . The cleaning system of  claim 42 ,
 wherein the dust collecting chamber door is connected to the dust collecting chamber body via a hinge,   wherein the dust collecting chamber is configured so that in a case where the vacuum cleaner is not connected to the dust collecting station, the dust collecting chamber door is to be maintained in a closed position for closing the dust collecting chamber body via a latch, and   wherein the dust collecting chamber is configured so that in a case where the vacuum cleaner is connected to the dust collecting station, the dust collecting station is configured to allow the dust collecting chamber door to be switched from the closed position to an open position via the latch of the dust collecting chamber.   
     
     
         44 . The cleaning system of  claim 40 , wherein an intake of the dust collecting station, the detachable bag, and a suction fan of the dust collecting station are arranged so that the detachable bag is provided between at least the intake and the suction fan. 
     
     
         45 . The cleaning system of  claim 40 , wherein at least major portions of the front and rear surfaces, respectively, are generally parallel to a long axis of the dust collecting station. 
     
     
         46 . The cleaning system of  claim 40 ,
 wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a filter, and   wherein the filter is configured so that, in a case where a suction fan of the dust collecting station generates airflow, the airflow passes through the filter and then flows to a discharge port.