Patent Application
20050262661
An improved vacuum cleaner head is disclosed. More specifically, a detachable electrostatic cloth head is provided which may be easily mounted to the vacuum cleaner head and easily disconnected when desired.
Vacuum cleaner heads equipped with electrostatic cloth attachments are known. Specifically, an additional head or plate is typically mounted parallel to the vacuum cleaner head along a rear side thereof. The head or plate, which is generally parallel to the suction inlet of the vacuum cleaner head and in a horizontal position, is designed to detachably receive an electrostatic cloth, which may be replaced when dirty. Thus, as the vacuum cleaner head and cloth are moved along the floor, any dust or particles not drawn up into the vacuum cleaner head under the force of the vacuum, may be picked up by the electrostatic cloth. The combination of the electrostatic cloth and the vacuum head provides an effective cleaning tandem for hard surfaces such as hardwood, tile and vinyl floors.
However, the addition of the electrostatic cloth head equipped renders the combination of the vacuum cleaner head and electrostatic cloth head bulky in size. Thus, with the two heads in place, it is often difficult to maneuver the combination into corners and small areas during a cleaning operation. Often, consumers desire to use only the vacuum cleaner head, without the electrostatic cloth head, to clean, small, confined spaces.
Further, consumers also like to have the option of using the vacuum cleaner head, without the electrostatic cloth head, particularly when the consumer has run out of clean electrostatic cloths or if the consumer desires to use the vacuum cleaner on a carpeted or upholstered surface, where the electrostatic cloths are not effective. The combination of the electrostatic cloth and vacuum cleaner head is only effective on hard surfaces, such as hard floors, or tiled floors.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved vacuum cleaner head assembly which provides the benefits of combining a vacuum cleaner head with an electrostatic cloth head but which also enables the consumer to easily detach or disconnect the electrostatic cloth head from the vacuum cleaner head when cleaning small, confined spaces or when moving from a hard surface to a carpeted or upholstered surface.
In satisfaction of the aforenoted needs, an improved vacuum cleaner head assembly is disclosed. The improved head assembly comprises a vacuum head comprising a front side and a rear side with the rear side of the vacuum head further comprising a pair of spaced apart brackets. The assembly further comprises a secondary head for accommodating a cloth. The secondary head also comprises a pair of spaced apart brackets. The vacuum head brackets and secondary head brackets are detachably connectable together.
In a refinement, the brackets of the vacuum and secondary heads are detachably connected by a tongue-in-groove connection.
In a refinement, the assembly further comprises a pair of latches to secure the secondary head brackets to the vacuum head brackets when the secondary head bracket are connected to the vacuum head brackets.
In a further refinement of this concept, one latch is connected to one of the secondary head brackets and the other latch is connected to the other of the secondary head brackets and the latches are flexibly biased into engagement with one of the vacuum head brackets when the tongues are received in the grooves.
In a further refinement, one latch is connected to one of the vacuum head brackets and the other latch is connected to the other of the vacuum head brackets and the latches are flexibly biased into engagement with one of the secondary head brackets when the tongues are received in the grooves.
In a refinement, the vacuum head brackets are connected to the vacuum head with a suction hose port disposed therebetween.
In a refinement, the tongue-in-groove connection comprises each vacuum head bracket comprising a groove and each secondary head bracket comprising a tongue, the secondary head brackets being configured so the tongue of one of the secondary head brackets can be slidably received in the groove of one of the vacuum head brackets and the tongue of the other secondary head bracket can be slidably received in the groove of the other vacuum head bracket.
In a refinement, the tongue-in-groove connection comprises each vacuum head bracket comprising a tongue and each secondary head bracket comprising a groove, the secondary head brackets being configured so the groove of one of the secondary head brackets slidably receives the tongue of one of the vacuum head brackets and the groove of the other secondary head bracket slidably receives the tongue of the other vacuum head bracket.
In a refinement, the cloth is an electrostatic cloth.
In another refinement, a disclosed vacuum cleaner head assembly comprises a vacuum head comprising a front side and a rear side connected to a suction hose port. The rear side of the vacuum head further comprises a pair of spaced apart brackets. The assembly further comprises a secondary head for accommodating a cloth. The secondary head comprises a pair of spaced apart brackets. The vacuum head brackets and secondary head brackets are detachably connectable by a tongue-in-groove connection. The assembly further comprises a pair of latches to secure the secondary head brackets to the vacuum head brackets when the secondary head bracket are connected to the vacuum head brackets by the tongue-in-groove connection.
In another refinement, a disclosed vacuum cleaner head assembly comprises a vacuum connected to a suction hose port. The rear side of the vacuum head further comprising a pair of brackets spaced apart and connected to the rear side of the vacuum head on either side of the suction hose port. Each vacuum head bracket comprising a slot. The assembly further comprises a secondary head for accommodating an electrostatic cloth. The secondary head also comprises a pair of spaced apart brackets. Each bracket of the secondary head comprises a tongue. The brackets of the secondary head is configured so the tongue of one of the secondary head brackets can be slidably received in the slot of one of the vacuum head brackets and the tongue of the other secondary head bracket can be slidably received in the slot of the other vacuum head bracket. The secondary head brackets each further comprise a latch to secure the secondary head brackets to the vacuum head brackets when the tongues of the secondary head bracket are received in the slots of the vacuum head brackets.
The disclosed embodiments are disclosed more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments have been illustrated with diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosed embodiments or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood that this disclosure is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
The vacuum head 11 includes a front side 14 that is connected to a rear side 15 by a top panel 16, all of which define a downwardly facing scoop for the collection of debris. The rear side 15 of the vacuum head 11 is connected to a suction hose port 17. In the embodiment shown in
The secondary head 12 comprises a generally flat structure with a horizontal bottom side 21 that faces the floor and a generally horizontal top side 22. The top side 22 comprises a plurality of sockets shown at 23 which, in turn, each comprise a membrane 24 with one or more slits or cuts 25 disposed therein. The slits or cuts 25 in the flexible membrane 24 can releasably accommodate a side edge or other portion of the cloth 13 as shown in
A key advantage of the embodiment 10 shown in
Specifically, as best seen in
From the lower position shown in
The brackets 37, 38 of the secondary head 12 are also equipped with flexible latches 41, 42. Each latch 41, 42 includes a lower leg 43, 44 that is connected to its corresponding bracket 37, 38 of the secondary head 12. Each lower leg 43, 44 is connected to an upwardly extending leg 45, 46 which, in turn, is connected to a forwardly extending leg 47, 48 which provides a gripping latching mechanism over the top surface 51, 52 of the corresponding bracket 31, 32 of the vacuum head 11 as best shown in
An injection molding process is the preferred manufacturing technique for both the vacuum head 11 and the secondary head 12 although other alternative techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art. One preferred material of construction is polypropylene, but certain polyethylenes can be used as well. Other suitable materials include polyvinylchloride, polyethyleneterepthalata, polycarbonate and mixtures thereof. Also, the secondary heads 12, 12a are preferably equipped with a molded pad 60, 60a that is separately molded from a softer material, such as a thermal plastic elastomer (TPE). Many TPEs are available and known to those skilled in the art.
Turning to
Thus, an improved vacuum head assembly 10 is provided whereby a secondary head 12 which carries an electrostatic cloth 13 may be easily connected to and disconnected from a vacuum head 11.
While only a single embodiment has been set forth and described, alternative embodiments and various modifications will apparent from the above description to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalents in with the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
