Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes: a main-body assembly, which has a suction port; and a filter assembly, at least a portion of which is disposed more forward than the main-body assembly so as to oppose the suction port. The filter assembly includes: a support frame; a filter, which is supported on the support frame; and a retaining-rib member, which is inserted, from the front, into one or more grooves provided on the main-body assembly, the retaining-rib member being fixed to the support frame.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a main-body assembly, which has a suction port; and   a filter assembly, at least a portion of which is disposed more forward than the main-body assembly so as to oppose the suction port;   wherein the filter assembly comprises: a support frame; a filter, which is supported on the support frame; and a retaining-rib member, which is inserted, from the front, into one or more grooves provided on the main-body assembly, the retaining-rib member being fixed to the support frame.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining-rib member is an elastic body. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining-rib member has a circular-ring shape. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining-rib member is fixed to a rear-end portion of the support frame. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a dust-collecting assembly, at least a portion of which is disposed more forward than the main-body assembly and which comprises an assembly-tube part in which the filter assembly is housed;   wherein the support frame comprises a support-rib part, which contacts an assembly-support part provided on the dust-collecting assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein the support-rib part has a circular-ring shape. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the support frame comprises a front-side tube part; and   the support-rib part protrudes radially outward from the front-side tube part.   
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the support frame comprises a rear-side tube part, which is disposed more rearward than the front-side tube part; and   the retaining-rib member is fixed to the rear-side tube part.   
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein the assembly-support part protrudes radially inward from an inner surface of the assembly-tube part. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 9 , wherein three of the assembly-support parts are provided on the inner surface of the assembly-tube part in a spaced-apart manner. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein the dust-collecting assembly comprises a cyclonic, dust-collecting unit. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter is a cloth disposed over lattice parts of the support frame. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining-rib member is composed of an elastomer and is annular. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more grooves are an upper groove and a lower groove that is spaced apart from the upper groove. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the main-body assembly includes a body part that houses a suction unit and that comprises a side-plate part, a front-plate part, an inner-tube part, and an outer-tube part, and   the one or more grooves are defined by a rear surface of one or more protruding parts that protrude(s) perpendicularly from an inner surface of the outer-tube part, a front surface of the front-plate part, and a segment of the inner surface of the outer-tube part that is disposed between the one or more protruding parts and the front surface of the front-plate part.   
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the retaining-rib member comprises an annular fixing part and an annular lip part; and   in the state in which the retaining rib member is disposed in the one or more grooves, the annular lip part contacts the front surface of the front-plate part to seal a boundary between a rear-end portion of the filter assembly and the front-plate part.   
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 16 , wherein, in the state in which the retaining rib member is disposed in the one or more grooves, portions of both of the annular lip part and the annular fixing part are disposed between the front-plate part and the one or more protruding parts, and the annular fixing part overlaps the one or more protruding parts in the front-rear direction of the main-body assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the filter is a cloth disposed over lattice parts of the support frame;   the retaining-rib member is composed of an elastomer and is annular; and   the one or more grooves are an upper groove and a lower groove that is spaced apart from the upper groove.   
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a dust-collecting assembly, at least a portion of which is disposed more forward than the main-body assembly and which comprises an assembly-tube part in which the filter assembly is housed;   wherein:   the support frame comprises a support-rib part, which contacts an assembly-support part provided on the dust-collecting assembly;   the support-rib part has a circular-ring shape;   the support frame comprises a front-side tube part;   the support-rib part protrudes radially outward from the front-side tube part;   the support frame comprises a rear-side tube part, which is disposed more rearward than the front-side tube part; and   the retaining-rib member is fixed to the rear-side tube part.   
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the assembly-support part protrudes radially inward from an inner surface of the assembly-tube part;   three of the assembly-support parts are provided on the inner surface of the assembly-tube part in a spaced-apart manner; and   the dust-collecting assembly comprises a cyclonic, dust-collecting unit.