Suction port assembly of vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A suction port assembly for a vacuum cleaner is provided which comprises a lower housing having first and second suction ports, an upper housing connected to the lower housing and thereby forming a connection path with the first and the second suction ports, and a noise reducing unit positioned along the connection path.

1 . A suction port assembly for a vacuum cleaner having a vacuum source, comprising: 
 a lower housing having first and second suction ports;    an upper housing connected to the lower housing and thereby forming a connection path with the first and the second suction ports; and    a noise reducing unit positioned along the connection path, wherein the connection path is in fluid communication with the vacuum source.    
   
   
       2 . The suction port assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper housing comprises: 
 a path cover; and    an upper cover connected to the lower housing above the path cover.    
   
   
       3 . The suction port assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the noise reducing unit comprises: 
 a first noise reducing rib having a plurality of first slanted holes; and    a second noise reducing rib having a plurality of second slanted holes.    
   
   
       4 . The suction port assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first and the second noise reducing ribs are substantially symmetrical to each other.  
   
   
       5 . The suction port assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the connection path has an air outlet in a middle portion of a rear wall thereof, the first noise reducing rib is positioned along the rear wall of the connection path to the right with respect to the air outlet, and the second noise reducing rib is positioned along the rear wall of the connection path to the left with respect to the air outlet.  
   
   
       6 . The suction port assembly of  claim 5 , wherein heights of the first and the second noise reducing ribs are lowered in a direction away from the air outlet, respectively, and the first and the second noise reducing ribs are respectively curved towards the first and the second suction ports.  
   
   
       7 . The suction port assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of first and second slanted holes are slanted by angles θ 1  and θ 2  in a direction of dust-laden air being discharged through the air outlet, and wherein the angles θ 1  and θ 2  are approximately between 40° and 70°.  
   
   
       8 . The suction port assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of first and second slanted holes have widths W 1  and W 2  of approximately between 0.5 and 1.0 times as large as distances D 1  and D 2  between each of the plurality of the first slanted holes and between each of the plurality of the second slanted holes, respectively.  
   
   
       9 . The suction port assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising first and second noise absorbing members along the connection path.  
   
   
       10 . The suction port assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first noise absorbing member is positioned between the first noise reducing rib and the connection path, and 
 the second noise absorbing member is positioned between the second noise reducing rib and the connection path.    
   
   
       11 . The suction port assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first and the second noise absorbing members have heights H 5  and H 6  that are lowered in a direction away from the air outlet, and wherein the first and the second noise absorbing members are curved towards the first and the second suction ports, respectively.  
   
   
       12 . The suction port assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first and the second noise absorbing members are at least partially made of porous material.  
   
   
       13 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a vacuum source; and    a suction port assembly in fluid communication with the vacuum source and having upper and lower housings and a noise reducing unit, wherein the lower housing h as first and second suction ports, wherein the upper housing is connected to the lower housing and at least partially defines a connection path with the first and the second suction ports, wherein the connection path has an air outlet in a middle portion thereof for air flow to the vacuum source, and wherein the noise reducing unit is positioned along the connection path.    
   
   
       14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the noise reducing unit comprises: 
 a first noise reducing rib having a plurality of first slanted holes; and    a second noise reducing rib having a plurality of second slanted holes.    
   
   
       15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the first and the second noise reducing ribs are substantially symmetrical to each other and disposed on opposite sides of the air outlet.  
   
   
       16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the air outlet is positioned along a rear wall of the connection path, and wherein the first and second noise reducing ribs are positioned on opposite sides of the air outlet.  
   
   
       17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the first and the second noise reducing ribs have heights that are lowered in a direction away from the air outlet, respectively, and the first and the second noise reducing ribs are respectively curved towards the first and second suction ports.  
   
   
       18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the connection path has first and second noise absorbing members.  
   
   
       19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the first noise absorbing member is positioned between the first noise reducing rib and the connection path, and wherein the second noise absorbing member is positioned between the second noise reducing rib and the connection path.  
   
   
       20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the first and the second noise absorbing members are at least partially made of porous material.