Cleaner

Abstract

A cleaner is disclosed. The cleaner includes: a housing having an introduction opening through which air is introduced; a filtering unit configured to be mounted in an inner space of the housing, and defining a dust collection space between the filtering unit and an inner surface of the housing; and a cleaning unit surrounding the filtering unit and configured to be raised and lowered. When the cleaning unit is in an initial position at least a portion of the cleaning unit is connected to an air introduction path extending from the introduction opening such that the cleaning unit guides a flow of introduced air. A guide edge extends from a lower portion of the cleaning unit toward a bottom of the dust collection space, and a surface of the guide edge facing the inner surface of the housing is inclined.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaner comprising:
 a housing having an introduction opening through which air is introduced;   a filtering unit configured to be mounted in an inner space of the housing, and defining a dust collection space between the filtering unit and an inner surface of the housing;   a cleaning unit configured to surround the filtering unit, and configured to be raised and lowered inside the dust collection space, wherein, when the cleaning unit is in an initial position, at least a portion of the cleaning unit is connected to an air introduction path extending from the introduction opening to guide a flow of introduced air; and   a cleaning ring formed of an elastic material and provided at a lower end of the cleaning unit,   wherein a surface of the cleaning ring facing the inner surface of the housing is inclined so as to gradually increase a gap between the surface of the cleaning ring and the inner surface of the housing at the same height facing each other in a direction toward a bottom of the dust collection space.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning ring is raised and lowered between a highest first position and a lowest second position, respectively, and
 wherein when the cleaning ring is between the first position and the second position, the front surface of the cleaning ring faces the inner surface of the housing and a rear surface of the cleaning ring faces a surface of the filtering unit.   
     
     
         3 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising an air guide for guiding air introduced through the introduction opening, the air guide being disposed on an upper portion of the filtering unit,
 wherein the cleaning unit surrounds at least a portion of the air guide when the cleaning unit is in an initial position.   
     
     
         4 . The cleaner of  claim 3 , further comprising a transformation space that is provided between a rear surface of the cleaning ring and the air guide. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning ring is inclined so as to be close to a surface of the filtering unit toward the bottom of the dust collection space. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning ring is in the shape of a ring that surrounds an outer circumferential surface of the filtering unit. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a guide edge extending from a lower portion of the cleaning unit toward the bottom of the dust collection space,
 wherein the cleaning ring is coupled to the guide edge.   
     
     
         8 . The cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein a surface of the guide edge facing the inner surface of the housing is inclined so as to gradually increase a gap between the surface of the guide edge and the inner surface of the housing at the same height facing each other in a direction toward the bottom of the dust collection space. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein an inclination angle of the cleaning ring is greater than an inclination angle of the guide end. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the cleaning ring decreases toward an end facing the bottom of the dust collection space. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit comprises:
 a cleaning body configured to surround the filtering unit and being connected to a manipulation unit to operate in cooperation with the manipulation unit; and   a guide edge extending from the lower portion of the cleaning body toward the bottom of the dust collection space,   wherein the guide edge comprises a guide inclination surface provided on a surface of the guide edge facing the inner surface of the housing, and   wherein a gap between the guide inclination surface and the inner surface of the housing at the same height gradually increases in a direction toward the bottom of the dust collection space.   
     
     
         12 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning body comprises a guide wall disposed along a circumferential direction of the cleaning body,
 wherein the guide wall is inclined relative to a raising and lowering direction of the cleaning unit such that when the cleaning unit is located at the initial position, the guide wall guides a flow of the air introduced through the introduction opening, and   wherein the cleaning ring formed of an elastic material coupled to a lower portion of the cleaning body is provided along a lower end of the guide wall.   
     
     
         13 . The cleaner of  claim 12 , further comprising a coupling end part coupled to the cleaning ring provided on the lower end of the guide wall,
 wherein the guide wall of the cleaning body is inclined such that a gap between the guide wall and the inner surface of the housing increases toward the lower portion of the cleaning body toward a guide edge, and   wherein the coupling end part and the cleaning ring form the guide edge.   
     
     
         14 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a support rib protruding from a lower portion of a cleaning body toward the bottom of the dust collection space, the support rib being configured to support an opposite surface of a guide inclination surface of the cleaning ring coupled to the lower portion of the cleaning body, at least a portion of the support rib having a length greater than or equal to a length of a lower end of the cleaning ring. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaner of  claim 14 , further comprising a seating groove disposed in the cleaning ring and configured to receive the support rib, the seating groove having a depth greater than or equal to a thickness of the support rib. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaner of  claim 14 , further comprising a gap maintenance rib protruding from the support rib in a direction opposite the guide inclination surface, the gap maintenance rib being configured to maintain a gap between a surface of the filtering unit and the cleaning ring while the cleaning unit is raised and lowered. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning body disposed in the cleaning unit, the cleaning body being configured to surround the filtering unit, and being connected to a manipulation unit to operate in cooperation with the manipulation unit, the cleaning body comprising:
 a guide wall extending continuously in a circumferential direction of the cleaning body, the guide wall comprising an inclining surface and a guide edge on a lower portion of the guide wall;   a guide fence extending parallel to the guide wall and being spaced apart from the guide wall in a direction of the inner surface of the housing to form a guide flow path between the guide fence and the guide wall; and   an air introduction part disposed in a portion of the cleaning body connected to the introduction opening, the air introduction part communicating the guide flow path with the introduction opening.   
     
     
         18 . The cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the cleaning ring is coupled to a lower end of the cleaning body, and
 wherein the cleaning ring and the lower end of the cleaning body are in surface contact on two different surfaces.   
     
     
         19 . The cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein a lower end of the cleaning ring protrudes further toward the bottom of the dust collection space than a lower end of the guide fence. 
     
     
         20 . The cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein a lower end of the guide fence protrudes further toward the bottom of the dust collection space than an upper end of the cleaning ring.