Cleaning apparatus comprising cleaner and docking station

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus includes a cleaner including a dust container in which contaminants are collected and a dust container cover rotatably coupled to the dust container to open or close the dust container, and a docking station on which the cleaner is detachably mounted, the docking station including a collecting portion to collect the contaminants in the dust container in response to the mounting and a duct portion forming a channel to guide the contaminants in the dust container to the collecting portion in response to the mounting; a cover opening device configured to open the dust container cover, and a cover closing device configured to close the dust container cover, the cover closing device including a rotary lever configured to be movable between a first position forming a portion of the channel of the duct portion and a second position supporting the dust container cover in a closing direction.

1 . A cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 a cleaner including:
 a dust container in which contaminants are collected; and 
 a dust container cover rotatably coupled to the dust container to open or close the dust container; and 
   a docking station on which the cleaner is detachably mounted, the docking station including:
 a collecting portion configured to collect the contaminants in the dust container in response to the cleaner being mounted on the docking station; and 
 a duct portion forming a channel to guide the contaminants in the dust container to the collecting portion in response to the cleaner being mounted on the docking station; 
 a cover opening device configured to open the dust container cover; and 
 a cover closing device configured to close the dust container cover, the cover closing device including a rotary lever configured to be movable between a first position forming a portion of the channel of the duct portion and a second position supporting the dust container cover in a closing direction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cover closing device includes:
 a closing drive motor configured to generate power to move the rotary lever;   a first closing link connected to the closing drive motor; and   a second closing link connected to the first closing link and the rotary lever.   
     
     
         3 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the duct portion includes a duct portion opening to form a space so that the first closing link or the second closing link moves, and
 the rotary lever corresponds to the duct portion opening.   
     
     
         4 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein in response to the rotary lever being in the first position, the closing drive motor, the first closing link, and the second closing link are located outside the channel of the duct portion. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the cover opening device includes an opening drive motor having a different drive axis from the closing drive motor. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the cover opening device includes a switch configured to set an initial position of the opening drive motor. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary lever is positioned in the first position in response to the cleaner being separated from the docking station. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the docking station includes a connecting port formed to connect the dust container and the duct portion in response to the cleaner being mounted on the docking station, and
 the rotary lever corresponds to the connecting port.   
     
     
         9 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the rotary lever is positioned to close the connecting port in response to the cleaner being separated from the docking station. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cover closing device is located in the duct portion. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaner is mounted on the docking station along the direction of gravity. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cover opening device is located outside the channel of the duct portion. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaner further includes an elastic member configured to elastically support the dust container cover in the closing direction. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cover opening device is located on one side of the duct portion, and
 the cover closing device is located on an other side opposite to one side of the duct portion.   
     
     
         15 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaner further includes a button configured to hold or release the dust container cover in a closed position, and
 the cover opening device is configured to press or release the button.