Cleaner

Abstract

Disclosed is a cleaner, which has an improved channel conversion structure. The cleaner includes a first suction channel and a second suction channel, which are selectively opened and closed, and suck external foreign substances, and a first valve and a second valve, which are respectively rotated from the upstream portion of a flow to the downstream portion of the flow and thus close the first channel and the second channel.

1 . A cleaner comprising:
 a base and a subsidiary suction device respectively provided with suction ports to suck external foreign substances;   a suction fan generating suction force to suck the external foreign substances;   a first channel connected to the base to transmit the suction force to the base;   a second channel connected to the subsidiary suction device to transmit the suction force to the subsidiary suction device; and   a channel conversion device including a first valve and a second valve rotated to respectively open and close the first channel and the second channel,   wherein the first valve and the second valve are respectively rotated from the upstream portion of a flow to the downstream portion of the flow, and thus close the first channel and the second channel.   
   
   
       2 . The cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rotary shaft provided with one side connected to the first valve and the other side connected to the second valve. 
   
   
       3 . The cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein the rotary shaft is disposed at the intersection of the first channel and the second channel. 
   
   
       4 . The cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first flange part and a second flange part respectively provided on the first channel and the second channel to be closely adhered to the edge of the first valve and the edge of the second valve when the channels are closed by the first valve and the second valve. 
   
   
       5 . The cleaner according to  claim 4 , further comprising a sealing member to airtightly close the first channel or the second channel by the first valve or the second valve. 
   
   
       6 . The cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein the sealing member is provided on the first valve or the second valve, and includes a convex part. 
   
   
       7 . The cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a main body rotatably connected to the base,
 wherein the first channel is opened and the second channel is closed when the main body is located within a first rotating range, and the first channel is closed and the second channel is opened when the main body is located within a second rotating range.   
   
   
       8 . The cleaner according to  claim 7 , wherein the channel conversion device further includes an actuator moving rectilinearly through the rotation of the main body, and a rotary shaft connected to the first valve and the second valve, and the rotary shaft is rotated in linkage with the actuator. 
   
   
       9 . The cleaner according to  claim 8 , wherein the actuator is elastically supported by the main body, and is pressed by the base according to the rotating angle of the main body. 
   
   
       10 . A cleaner, which has a brush assembly and a subsidiary suction device, comprising:
 a first channel connected to the brush assembly;   a second channel connected to the subsidiary suction device; and   a channel conversion device including a first valve to open and close the first channel and a second valve to open and close the second channel,   wherein the first valve or the second valve moves in the flowing direction of sucked air, and thus closes the first channel or the second channel.   
   
   
       11 . The cleaner according to  claim 10 , wherein the first valve and the second valve are provided with a single rotary shaft, and the rotary shaft is rotated in linkage with the rotation of the main body. 
   
   
       12 . The cleaner according to  claim 11 , further comprising an actuator provided on the main body, and pressed by the base and moving rectilinearly when the main body is rotated at a designated angle,
 wherein the rotating shaft is rotated by the rectilinear movement of the actuator.   
   
   
       13 . A cleaner having a first suction channel and a second suction channel, which are selectively opened and closed, and suck external foreign substances, comprising a first valve and a second valve respectively rotated from the upstream portion of a flow to the downstream portion of the flow to close the first channel and the second channel. 
   
   
       14 . The cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the first valve and the second valve are formed integrally. 
   
   
       15 . The cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the second channel is closed by the second valve when the first channel is opened by the first valve, and the second channel is opened by the second valve when the first channel is closed by the first valve. 
   
   
       16 . An upright vacuum cleaner having a main body and a bottom suction device, the cleaner comprising:
 a supplemental suction device;   a first channel connected to the bottom suction device to suck foreign substances;   a second channel connected to the supplemental suction device to suck foreign substances;   a suction fan generating suction force to suck the foreign substances;   a channel conversion device having a first valve and a second valve to control flow of air to the first channel and the second channel respectively;   wherein the channel conversion device controls the flow of air in accordance with the position of the main body with respect to the bottom suction device.   
   
   
       17 . The cleaner according to  claim 16 , wherein the channel conversion device selectively routes either of the first channel air flow or the second channel airflow to the main body. 
   
   
       18 . The cleaner according to  claim 17 , wherein the channel conversion device has a first valve and a second valve respectively for the first channel and the second channel. 
   
   
       19 . The cleaner according to  claim 16 , wherein the first channel air flow is routed to the main body when the cleaner is in the upright position and the second channel air flow is routed to the main body when the cleaner is in the tilted position. 
   
   
       20 . The cleaner according to  claim 16 , wherein the channel conversion device it rotated between two different positions to respectively route first channel airflow and the second channel airflow. 
   
   
       21 . The cleaner according to  claim 16 , further comprising an actuator for causing rotation of the channel conversion device. 
   
   
       22 . The cleaner according to  claim 21 , wherein a link is provided between the actuator and the channel conversion device. 
   
   
       23 . The cleaner according to  claim 21 , wherein the actuator is urged by an elastic device is a first direction. 
   
   
       24 . The cleaner according to  claim 23 , wherein the actuator is urged toward a second direction opposite the first direction, by a body of the bottom suction device, when the cleaner is positioned in an upright position. 
   
   
       25 . The cleaner according to  claim 24 , wherein the supplemental suction device is activated when the cleaner is positioned in the upright position. 
   
   
       26 . The cleaner according to  claim 23 , wherein the bottom suction device is activated when the cleaner is positioned in a tilted position having a predetermined range of angel between the main body and the bottom suction device. 
   
   
       27 . The cleaner according to  claim 26 , wherein the bottom suction device has a rotatable brush.