# US 9,516,980 B2 · Vacuum cleaner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,516,980 B2 - Document ID: US9516980B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/779,509 - Filed: 2014-04-17 - Published: 2016-02-25 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-04-19 - Assignees: Houssen Co., Ltd. - Applicants: HOUSSEN Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Byung Mi Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9516980B2 ## CPC - A47L 5/26: with driven dust-loosening tools - A47L 5/14: cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning - A47L 5/28: Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle (A47L5/24 takes precedence) - A47L 7/04: for using the exhaust air for other purposes, e.g. for distribution of chemicals in a room, for sterilisation of the air (spraying or atomising in general B05) - A47L 9/02: Nozzles (suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00) - A47L 9/08: with means adapted for blowing - A47L 9/12: Dry filters - A47L 11/405: {Machines using UV-lamps, IR-lamps, ultrasound or plasma cleaning} - 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 vacuum cleaner blows hot air to dry objects to be cleaned and prevent adhesion of the objects. The vacuum cleaner includes a first bottom air inlet, a rear air outlet, a housing having an air passage for guiding first air from the first bottom air inlet to the rear air outlet, and an electric blower fan in the air passage to suck up the first air. The housing includes a headwind inlet that inhales second air from outside and guides its flow as a headwind against the flow of the first air preventing adhesion of objects to be cleaned. A bottom air outlet discharges hot air heated when passing by the electric blower fan. A flow direction changer changes the direction of the hot air to the rear and/or bottom air outlets. A user selectively controls the flow direction of the hot air toward the objects to be cleaned, thereby drying them. A headwind blows against the flow of air inhaled into the housing and prevents adhesion of the objects to be cleaned, thereby improving usability. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vacuum cleaner comprising a first bottom air inlet, a rear air outlet, a housing having an air passage for guiding a first air to flow from the first bottom air inlet to the rear air outlet, and an electric blower fan mounted in the air passage and generating a force for sucking up the first air, the housing comprising a headwind inlet that inhales second air from an exterior and guides flow of the inhaled second air as a headwind against the flow of the first air so as to prevent adhesion of objects to be cleaned, and a bottom air outlet formed on a bottom surface of the housing to discharge hot air heated by heat of the electric blower fan while passing by the electric blower fan, the vacuum cleaner comprising a flow direction changer mounted on the housing and changing a flow direction of the hot air to the rear air outlet and/or the bottom air outlet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the flow direction changer comprises a first branched passage formed inside the housing and connecting the air passage and the rear air outlet; a second branched passage formed inside the housing and connecting the air passage and the bottom air outlet; and a baffle plate mounted inside the housing to open and close the first branched passage and/or the second branched passage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the flow direction changer comprises a first branched passage formed inside the housing and connecting the air passage and the rear air outlet; a second branched passage formed inside the housing and connecting the air passage and the bottom air outlet; and a baffle plate rotatably mounted inside the housing to open and close the bottom air outlet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein an air discharging passage is formed inside the housing to connect the first bottom air inlet and the front air inlet, a first recess is formed in a front portion of the bottom surface of the housing so that the first bottom air inlet and the air discharging passage can communicate with each other, and an ultraviolet light source is provided inside the first recess to emit ultraviolet light for sterilizing the objects to be cleaned. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein a second bottom air inlet is formed near the first bottom air inlet on the bottom surface of the housing to suck up third air, a second recess is formed on the bottom surface to communicate with the second bottom air inlet, and the first recess and the second recess communicate with each other through an air confluent passage in which flow of the first air and flow of the second air join. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, further comprising a duster mounted in the second recess to dust foreign materials from the objects to be cleaned; a pair of first rollers mounted in a front portion of the bottom surface of the housing along a widthwise direction of the housing so as to roll while being in contact with the objects to be cleaned, and formed with a plurality of grooves on an outer surface thereof to clear out foreign materials from the objects to be cleaned; and a second roller mounted in a central portion of the bottom surface of the housing so as to roll while being in contact with the objects to be cleaned. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein a hot air discharge chamber is formed inside the housing to communicate with the second branched passage, a cover plate is mounted on the bottom surface of the housing to cover the hot air discharge chamber, a recess is formed on the cover plate to be sunken in the hot air discharge chamber, and the bottom air outlet is formed on a bottom of the recess. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein an accommodating portion is formed on an outer surface of the housing so as to communicate with the air passage, a filter chamber is formed inside the housing so as to communicate with a driving chamber, a first filter unit for filtering air is detachably mounted in the accommodating portion, and a second filter unit for filtering air is detachably mounted in the filter chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the first filter unit comprises a dust box detachably installed in the accommodating portion, the dust box having a dust chamber communicating with the air passage; a rotary filter cylinder installed in the dust chamber so that air inhaled into the dust chamber can swirl, formed with an impeller on an outer surface thereof to rotate by flow of air inhaled into the dust chamber, and comprising a bore, an air inlet and an air outlet to communicate with the air passage; and a filter element for filtering air is disposed at the air inlet of the rotary filter cylinder. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the dust box is made of transparent plastic, and a light guide is mounted in a bottom of the accommodating portion so as to guide light from the ultraviolet light source toward the dust box.