# US 12,004,703 B2 · Cleaning apparatus having vacuum cleaner and docking station > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,703 B2 - Document ID: US12004703B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/319,644 - Filed: 2021-05-13 - Published: 2021-08-26 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-14 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: See Hyun Kim; In Gyu Choi; Ki Hwan Kwon; Shin Kim; Hyeon Cheol Kim; Do Kyung Lee; Hyun Ju Lee; Yun Soo Jang; Seung Ryong Cha; Jung Gyun Han - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004703B2 ## CPC - A47L 9/106: {Dust removal} - A47L 9/149: {Emptying means; Reusable bags} - A47L 5/18: with ejectors, e.g. connected to motor vehicle exhaust - A47L 5/24: Hand-supported suction cleaners - A47L 9/0009: {Storing devices (winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26); Supports, stands or holders} - A47L 9/0063: {External storing devices; Stands, casings or the like for the storage of suction cleaners} - A47L 9/1608: {Cyclonic chamber constructions} - A47L 9/1683: {Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles} - A47L 9/2857: {User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays} - A47L 9/2894: {Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners} - A47L 9/30: Arrangement of illuminating devices - A47L 9/2873: {Docking units or charging stations (for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02)} - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract A cleaning apparatus including a vacuum cleaner and a docking station is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting chamber in which foreign substances are collected, and a docking station configured to be connected to the dust collecting chamber to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber. The dust collecting chamber is configured to collect foreign substances through centrifugation, and configured to be docked to the docking station, and the docking station includes a suction device configured to suction the foreign substances and air in the dust collecting chamber docked to the docking station. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning system comprising: a vacuum cleaner comprising a dust collecting chamber capable of collecting foreign substances; and a dust collecting station connectable to the vacuum cleaner and configured to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber, wherein the dust collecting station comprises: a seating portion comprising an opening configured to communicate with an inside of the dust collecting chamber, the dust collecting chamber being configured to be seated on the seating portion while the vacuum cleaner and the dust collecting station are connected; a suction device configured to generate a suction airflow to discharge the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion, wherein a flow path is formed between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device while the suction airflow is generated; a collecting portion arranged between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device, the collecting portion being configured to collect the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion; and a flow path control device arranged adjacent to the opening, the flow path control device comprising a flow path cover positioned in the dust collecting station at a location where the vacuum cleaner connects with the dust collecting station, the flow path cover being configured to block at least a portion of the flow path while the vacuum cleaner and the dust collecting station are connected and while the suction device generates the suction airflow for discharging the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber of the vacuum cleaner to the collecting portion of the dust collecting station, wherein the flow path control device includes a cover driver configured to move the flow path cover to block at least the portion of the flow path, and wherein the cover driver comprises: a drive motor configured to generate a driving force; and a cover driving member configured to press a first side portion of the flow path cover by the driving force of the drive motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the flow path cover includes a hinge disposed on a second side portion of the flow path cover opposite to the first side portion, and wherein the flow path cover is further configured to rotate in the flow path around the hinge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cleaning system of claim 2, wherein the flow path control device is configured to move a position of the flow path cover to selectively block at least the portion of the flow path such that the suction airflow within the dust collecting chamber changes based on the position of the flow path cover during operation of the suction device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cleaning system of claim 3, wherein the flow path control device is further configured to selectively arrange the flow path cover in the flow path at a first position in which the flow path is closed, a second position in which the flow path is opened, or a third position in which the portion of the flow path is blocked to reduce an area opened by the flow path cover compared to when arranged at the second position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cleaning system of claim 4, wherein the flow path control device is further configured to rotate the flow path cover in the flow path to the third position at least once during operation of the suction device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The cleaning system of claim 3, wherein the flow path control device is further configured to: rotate the flow path cover in the flow path between a first position in which the flow path is closed and a second position in which the flow path is opened, and selectively arrange the flow path cover at a third position located between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cleaning system of claim 6, wherein the flow path control device is further configured to rotate the flow path cover in the flow path to the third position at least once during operation of the suction device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a sensing portion arranged on the seating portion, wherein the sensing portion is configured to output a signal in response to detecting the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion, and wherein the dust collecting station is further configured to drive the suction device based on the signal output from the sensing portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cleaning system of claim 8, wherein the dust collecting station is further configured to drive the flow path control device based on the signal output from the sensing portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The cleaning system of claim 8, wherein the sensing portion comprises a switch configured to detect a seating of the dust collecting chamber through on/off operations thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the dust collecting chamber comprises: a dust collecting chamber body having a cylindrical shape, a dust collecting chamber door configured to open or close the dust collecting chamber body, and a fixing member configured to: fix the dust collecting chamber door to the dust collecting chamber body; and release the fixing of the dust collecting chamber door in response to being pressed by an external force, and wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a pressing part configured to press the fixing member such that the dust collecting chamber door is opened. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cleaning system of claim 11, wherein the suction device is further configured to be driven after the dust collecting chamber door is opened. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the flow path control device is configured to variously change an internal airflow of the dust collecting chamber by changing a flow rate of an inside of the dust collecting chamber while the suction device generates the suction airflow. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein, based on the blocking of the flow path, the suction airflow inside the dust collecting chamber is changed while the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber is discharged. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the foreign substances are located outside of the dust collecting station until after the foreign substances pass the location of the flow path cover as part of the discharging of the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber. ### Claim 16 A dust collecting station connectable to a dust collecting chamber of a vacuum cleaner and configured to remove foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber, the dust collecting station comprising: a seating portion comprising an opening configured to communicate with an inside of the dust collecting chamber, the dust collecting chamber being configured to be seated on the seating portion while the vacuum cleaner and the dust collecting station are connected; a suction device configured to generate a suction airflow to discharge the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion, wherein a flow path is formed between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device while the suction airflow is generated; a collecting portion arranged between the opening of the seating portion and the suction device, the collecting portion being configured to collect the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber through the opening of the seating portion; and a flow path control device arranged adjacent to the opening, the flow path control device including a flow path cover positioned in the dust collecting station at a location where the vacuum cleaner connects with the dust collecting station, the flow path cover being configured to block at least a portion of the flow path while the vacuum cleaner and the dust collecting station are connected and while the suction device generates the suction airflow for discharging the foreign substances from the dust collecting chamber of the vacuum cleaner to the collecting portion of the dust collecting station, wherein the flow path control device includes a cover driver configured to move the flow path cover to block at least the portion of the flow path, and wherein the cover driver comprises: a drive motor configured to generate a driving force; and a cover driving member configured to press a first side portion of the flow path cover by the driving force of the drive motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The dust collecting station of claim 16, wherein the flow path control device is configured to move a position of the flow path cover to selectively block at least the portion of the flow path such that the suction airflow within the dust collecting chamber changes based on the position of the flow path cover during operation of the suction device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The dust collecting station of claim 17, wherein the flow path control device is further configured to selectively arrange the flow path cover in the flow path at a first position in which the flow path is closed, a second position in which the flow path is opened, or a third position in which the portion of the flow path is blocked to reduce an area opened by the flow path cover compared to when arranged at the second position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The dust collecting station of claim 18, wherein the flow path control device is further configured to move the flow path cover in the flow path to the third position at least once during operation of the suction device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The dust collecting station of claim 16, wherein the flow path cover is interlocked with the cover driving member and rotates inside the flow path to open or block at least the portion of the flow path.