Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

Provided is a vacuum cleaner which comprises: a cleaner body formed with a mounting space; a vacuum motor mounted in the cleaner body to produce suction force; a brush assembly connected to the cleaner body; a dust collection device mounted in the mounting space and having a dust collection bin; and a lifting/lowering unit for lifting or lowering the dust collection bin in relation to the cleaner body, so that the dust collection bin is anchored in the mounting space or removed from the mounting space, wherein the lifting/lowering unit is mounted on the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin so that it can be mounted in the mounting space or removed from the mounting space along with the dust collection bin. As a result, it is possible to prevent the leakage of discharge air and to reduce the pollution and malfunction of the lifting/lowering unit.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a cleaner body formed with a mounting space;   a vacuum motor mounted in the cleaner body to produce suction force;   a brush assembly connected to the cleaner body;   a dust collection device mounted in the mounting space and having a dust collection bin; and   a lifting/lowering unit for lifting or lowering the dust collection bin in relation to the cleaner body so that the dust collection bin is anchored in the mounting space or removed from the mounting space, respectively, wherein the lifting/lowering unit is mounted on an outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin so that it can be mounted in the mounting space or removed from the mounting space along with the dust collection bin.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin is formed with a recess, and the lifting/lowering unit is fitted in the recess. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the lifting/lowering unit comprises:
 a lifting/lowering control member fitted in the recess; and   a plurality of cam guides which are provided on the lifting/lowering control member and the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin, respectively, upon rotation of the lifting/lowering control member.   
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the lifting/lowering control member comprises a lever part capable of being gripped by a hand and a body part integrally formed with the lever part. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of cam guides comprises first and second cam guides projecting from the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin, and third and fourth cam guides projecting from the body part in such a manner as to be engaged with the first and second cam guides. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of cam guides further comprises a fifth cam guide projecting from the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin in such a manner as to come into contact with the lever part, thereby separating the lever part from the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin includes an air outlet port formed therethrough and the body part of the lifting/lowering unit includes a bore formed therein, so that air purified in the dust collection device is introduced into a motor chamber, within which the vacuum motor is installed, via the air outlet and the bore. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a discharge flow passage within the cleaner body for communicating between a motor chamber, within which the vacuum motor is installed, and a cyclone cylinder of the dust collection device in order to discharge air to the motor chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the dust collection bin comprises a cylindrical rotary shaft extending from the outer bottom surface of the dust collection bin. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the body part of the lifting/lowering control member comprises a cylinder into which the cylindrical rotary shaft can be inserted so as to center the lifting/lowering control member when the lifting/lowering control member is rotated.