Claims
- 1. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:a housing including a handle assembly and a nozzle assembly; a suction fan and cooperating suction fan drive motor carried on said housing; a rotary agitator held in said nozzle assembly; an agitator drive motor carried on said housing; and a motor control and protection circuit, said motor control and protection circuit being characterized by a handle switch and a handle actuator cooperating with said handle switch to de-energize said agitator motor when said handle is displaced to an upright storage position.
- 2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes an above-floor switch and an above-floor actuator cooperating with said above-floor switch to de-energize said agitator drive motor when said nozzle assembly is displaced a predetermined distance above the floor for bare floor cleaning.
- 3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said vacuum cleaner further includes a hose and said motor control and protection circuit further includes a hose switch and a hose actuator cooperating with said hose switch to de-energize said agitator drive motor when an end of said hose is released and manipulated for cleaning.
- 4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a selector switch and a selector actuator cooperating with said selector switch for selectively de-energizing said agitator drive motor independent of said suction fan drive motor.
- 5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a circuit breaker to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if current drawn thereby exceeds a predetermined first value.
- 6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a temperature sensor switch to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if temperature of said agitator drive motor exceeds a predetermined second value.
- 7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a temperature sensor switch to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if temperature of said agitator drive motor exceeds a predetermined second value.
- 8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a circuit breaker to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if current drawn thereby exceeds a predetermined first value.
- 9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a temperature sensor switch to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if temperature of said agitator drive motor exceeds a predetermined second value.
- 10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a selector switch and a selector actuator cooperating with said selector switch for selectively de-energizing said agitator drive motor independent of said suction fan drive motor.
- 11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a circuit breaker to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if current drawn thereby exceeds a predetermined first value.
- 12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a temperature sensor switch to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if temperature of said agitator drive motor exceeds a predetermined second value.
- 13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said vacuum cleaner further includes a hose and said motor control and protection circuit further includes a hose switch and a hose actuator cooperating with said hose switch to de-energize said agitator drive motor when an end of said hose is released and manipulated for cleaning.
- 14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a selector switch and a selector actuator cooperating with said selector switch for selectively de-energizing said agitator drive motor independent of said suction fan drive motor.
- 15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a circuit breaker to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if current drawn thereby exceeds a predetermined first value.
- 16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said motor control and protection circuit further includes a temperature sensor switch to interrupt power to said agitator drive motor if temperature of said agitator drive motor exceeds a predetermined second value.
- 17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said handle switch is a normally open microswitch mounted in said handle for rotation about said handle actuator as said handle is displaced to and from said upright storage position.
- 18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein said handle actuator includes a cam surface defining a semicircular arc about a pivotal axis of said handle, said semicircular arc of said cam surface engaging a trigger of said microswitch when said handle is in other than said upright storage position.
- 19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein said cam surface includes a non semicircular arc portion where said trigger of said microswitch disengages from said cam surface when said handle is in said upright storage position thereby de-energizing said agitator drive motor.
Parent Case Info
This application claims benefit of Prov. No. 60/144,446 filed Jul. 16, 1999.
US Referenced Citations (26)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/144446 |
Jul 1999 |
US |