Claims
- 1. A convertible vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a) a power unit including a motor driven fan;
- b) an upright handle releasably mountable on said power unit for facilitating operation of said vacuum cleaner as an upright carpet cleaner;
- c) a portable cleaner handle removably mountable on said power unit for facilitating operation of said vacuum cleaner as a portable cleaner;
- d) a reel journalled on said portable handle;
- e) a shoulder strap connected between said portable handle and said reel, wherein rotation of said reel in one direction takes up said shoulder strap within said portable handle, and rotation of said reel in the other direction pays out said shoulder strap;
- f) apparatus for locking said reel against rotation at a plurality of positions of shoulder strap payout.
- 2. A portable vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a) a power unit including a motor and a fan, said power unit defining a nozzle and an outlet, said power unit being operable on actuation of said motor and said fan to draw in dirt-ladden air through said nozzle and to discharge said air through said outlet;
- b) a filter removably attachable to said outlet to receive said dirt-ladden air discharged through said outlet;
- c) a handle defining a channel shaped recessed portion and being mounted on said power unit;
- d) a take-up reel mechanically coupled to said power unit;
- e) a flexible shoulder strap connectable between said handle and said reel, wherein rotation of said reel in a first direction serves to take up said shoulder strap on said reel and rotation of said reel in the other direction serves to pay out said shoulder strap, said channel being positioned to receive a portion of said shoulder strap extending between said handle and said reel when said shoulder strap is taken up on said reel, and
- f) reel control apparatus for biasing said reel toward rotation in said first direction and apparatus for locking said reel against rotation in said other direction at a plurality of shoulder strap pay out lengths.
- 3. A portable vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a) a power unit including a motor and a fan, said power unit defining a nozzle and an outlet, said power unit being operable on actuation of said motor and said fan to draw in dirt-laden air through said nozzle and to discharge said air through said outlet;
- b) a filter removably attachable to said outlet to receive said dirt-laden air discharged through said outlet;
- c) a handle mountable on said power unit;
- d) a take-up reel mechanically coupled to said power unit;
- e) a flexible shoulder strap connectable between said handle and said reel, wherein rotation of said reel in a first direction serves to take up said shoulder strap on said reel and rotation of said reel in the other direction serving to pay out said shoulder strap;
- f) reel control apparatus for biasing said reel toward rotation in said first direction and apparatus for locking said reel against rotation in said other direction at a plurality of shoulder strap pay out lengths;
- g) apparatus for demountably attaching said handle to said power unit.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/534,192, filed June 6, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,133.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1235536 |
Sep 1960 |
DEX |
8807720 |
Dec 1962 |
DEX |
1280934 |
Jan 1962 |
FRX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Supplemental European Search Report 2/91. |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
534192 |
Jun 1989 |
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