1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an upright-type vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to an air exhaust structure of the upright-type vacuum cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an upright-type vacuum cleaner has a suction brush that is movably connected to a cleaner body. The suction brush moves along the cleaning surface during the cleaning process. A dust collecting chamber is defined in an upper portion of the cleaner body, and a motor driving chamber is defined in a lower portion of the cleaner body. A dust filter is detachably disposed in the dust collecting chamber, and a motor is disposed in the motor driving chamber.
When the motor operates, it generates a strong suction force at the suction brush. The suction force draws contaminants with air from the cleaning surface through the suction brush into the cleaner body. The air is then discharged through the dust filter in the dust collecting chamber to the motor driving chamber. The contaminants entrained in the air are collected by the dust filter, and the clean air is discharged into the atmosphere through the motor driving chamber.
The air must be discharged into the atmosphere without contaminants residue in an unobstructed manner. Many designs of air exhaust structures are suggested for an efficient air discharge from the motor driving chamber into the atmosphere.
An example of an air exhaust structure of the upright-type vacuum cleaner is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,771 (published on Sep. 7, 1999). As shown in FIG. 1, the disclosed air exhaust structure of the upright-type vacuum cleaner has a discharge duct 3 disposed at a side of a cleaner body 1, communicating with a motor driving chamber 2, a plurality of louvers 4 vertically extended at a predetermined space from each other, inside the discharge duct 3, a filter pad 5 externally disposed on the louvers 4, a supporting frame 6 attached to the cleaner body 1 for supporting the filter pad 5, and a grill 7 hinged to the supporting frame 6 for covering the filter pad 5.
The air discharged through the motor driving chamber 2 is distributed through the louvers 4. Air carry velocity increases as the air flows through the louvers 4. Contaminants entrained in the air are filtered through the filter pad 6, and the clean air is discharged through the grill 7 into the atmosphere.
According to the conventional air exhaust structure of the upright-type vacuum cleaner as constructed above, the louvers 4 of complex shape are disposed inside the discharge duct 3, and the supporting frame 6 for supporting the filter pad 5 is additionally fabricated and attached to the cleaner body 1. Accordingly, fabrication process becomes complex and the number of parts and fabrication cost are increased.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the related art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved air exhaust structure of an upright-type vacuum cleaner enabling a simple fabrication process and a decreased number of parts.
The above object is accomplished by an air exhaust structure of an upright-type vacuum cleaner according to the present invention, which includes a duct vertically formed in a side of a cleaner body, communicating a with motor driving chamber, a supporting member protruding from an inner wall of the duct to a predetermined height, a filter supported by the supporting member and received in the duct, and a grill hinged to the cleaner body for opening and closing an air discharging opening of the duct.
The inner wall of the duct is inclined from an air inflow channel formed in a lower portion of the duct, upwardly to the grill at a low angle slope. The supporting member protrudes from a center of the inner wall of the duct to a predetermined height, the supporting member being spaced apart from the grill.
A supporting frame protrudes from an outer circumference of the air discharge opening of the duct for supporting outer edges of the filter. A semi-circular recess is formed at a side of the supporting frame, for enabling easy detachment of the filter.