Patent Application
20130160231
This document relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to a floor care appliance or upright vacuum cleaner with interchangeable dirt collection modules.
Upright vacuum cleaners are well known in the floor care equipment field. Upright vacuum cleaners generally include a nozzle assembly equipped with wheels so as to roll freely along the floor. The nozzle assembly generally includes a suction inlet and, more often than not, a rotary agitator for sweeping dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. A handle assembly is pivotally attached to the nozzle assembly. The handle assembly may be moved from an upright, rest or storage position to an oblique operating position where the handle pivots with respect to the nozzle assembly as the operator guides the vacuum cleaner to and fro across the floor.
Upright vacuum cleaners also include a suction generator for producing a negative air stream that draws air entrained with dirt and debris into the vacuum cleaner. That air stream is drawn into a dirt collection vessel where dirt and debris is collected from the air stream and the relatively clean air is then exhausted from the vacuum cleaner.
Generally, the dirt collection vessel may take two forms. In the first form, the vacuum cleaner housing includes a bag compartment which receives and holds a disposable bag made of a filter material. More specifically, the air stream entrained with dirt and debris is directed into the interior of the bag. The filter material of the bag allows the passage of clean air while at the same time preventing the passage of dirt and debris thereby trapping the dirt and debris and removing it from the air stream. In the second form, the dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup which may or may not incorporate structures providing for cyclonic air flow.
Some consumers favor a vacuum cleaner equipped with a disposable filter bag while other consumers favor a vacuum cleaner equipped with a reusable dirt cup. As a consequence, many vacuum cleaner manufacturers produce both types or forms of upright vacuum cleaners. In the past this has typically required construction of two independent nozzle assemblies or base units with one of the assemblies specifically adapted for use with a dirt collection vessel in the form of a filter bag while the other is specifically adapted for use with a dirt collectiori vessel in the form of a dirt cup. The need for the construction and manufacturing of two separate nozzle assemblies or base units requires additional design time, mold construction, additional part inventories and often two separate assembly lines. These and other considerations all add significantly and unnecessarily to manufacturing costs.
The present invention relates to an upright vacuum cleaner incorporating a single base unit which may be connected to a first dirt collection module incorporating a dirt cup or a second dirt collection module incorporating a bag compartment and filter bag. Thus, only one base unit needs to be designed and manufactured and only one base unit parts inventory needs to be maintained. As a consequence, manufacturing costs are significantly reduced for the manufacturer.
An upright vacuum cleaner is provided comprising (a) a base unit including a suction inlet, a suction generator and a locating element, (b) a first dirt collection module, (c) a second dirt collection module and (d) an adapter. The first dirt collection module has a receiver that cooperates and engages with the locating element on the base unit whereby the first dirt collection module may be secured to the base unit in a proper operating position. The adapter may be positioned between the locating element on the base unit and the second dirt collection module so as to allow the second dirt collection module to be properly secured to the base unit instead of the first dirt collection module. In this way a single base unit design may be used in the manufacture of an upright vacuum cleaner incorporating either a reusable dirt cup or a disposable filter bag.
More specifically, the base unit further includes a suction conduit and a dirt collection module mounting boss. The. first and second dirt collection modules both include (a) a connection conduit that engages the suction conduit and (b) a mounting element that engages the mounting boss. In addition, a fastener is provided. The fastener is received in the mounting boss and the mounting element of either the first and second dirt collection modules when the module is properly seated on the base unit.
In one particularly useful embodiment the suction conduit and the mounting boss are adjacent to one another. Further, the connection conduit has a first end that friction fits inside an open or second end of the suction conduit. In addition, the mounting boss nests inside the mounting element of either the first or second dirt collection module.
The adapter includes a retaining rib that is received in an undercut in the locating element or projecting lug to provide a secure connection. Further, the adapter includes first and second projections or convexities. The First projection is received in a first cavity provided in the housing of the second dirt collection module that defines the bag compartment. The second projection is received in a second cavity provided in an access door of the housing that provides access to the bag compartment for checking and changing a filter bag.
In accordance with additional aspects, a method is provided for reducing vacuum cleaner manufacturing costs. The method may be broadly defined as including the steps of: (a) producing at least two base units of a single embodiment or design including a suction inlet; (b) producing a first dirt collection module having a dirt cup; (c) producing a second dirt collection module having a bag compartment and a filter bag; (d) attaching the first dirt collection module to one of the at least two base units to make an upright vacuum cleaner with a dirt cup; and (e) attaching the second dirt collection module to another of the at least two base units to make an upright vacuum cleaner with a filter bag. By utilizing a single embodiment of base unit to make two different types of vacuum cleaners parts and manufacturing costs are both reduced.
In the following description there is shown and described preferred embodiments of the vacuum cleaner. As it will be realized, the vacuum cleaner is capable of other different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the vacuum cleaner and together with the description serve to explain certain principles of its construction and operation. In the drawings:
a is a bottom plan view of the embodiment illustrated in
a and 9b are respective detailed perspective and top plan views of the adapter utilized to connect the second dirt collection module to the base unit of the embodiment illustrated in
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the vacuum cleaner, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Reference is now made to
A locating element 36 in the form of a projecting lug is provided on the top of the housing 16. As best illustrated in
The first dirt collection module 14 includes a dirt cup 42. The dirt cup 42 may be a simple dirt cup with an inlet and an outlet. Alternatively, the dirt cup 42 may include a cylindrical side wall, a tangentially directed inlet and an axially directed outlet in order to provide cyclonic airflow characteristics for enhanced cleaning action. Further, the dirt cup may or may not include a primary filter covering the outlet.
As further illustrated in
When properly mounted to the first dirt collection module 14, the receiver or cavity 44 in the bottom wall 46 of the dirt cup 42 is received on the locating element 36 (see
During operation of the vacuum cleaner 10 illustrated in
As should be appreciated from viewing
When the adapter 80 is properly seated on the locating element 36 of the base unit 12, the retaining ribs 88 are received and held in cooperating undercuts 90 provided in the locating element 36 (see particularly
The adapter 80 may also be made of a resilient material that provides a snap fit over the locating element 36. In this situation, the adapter 80 may be secured to the bottom wall of the housing 72 with the first projections 86 received in the first cavity 92 by means of the fasteners 94. The housing 72 may then be snapped into position on the base unit 12 by aligning the adapter 80 over the locating element 36 and pressing downwardly. Under these circumstances, the adapter 90 flexes slightly to open the slot 84 and allow the retaining ribs 88 to pass over the locating element 36 until they reach the undercuts 90. At that time the resiliency of the adapter 80 causes the body 82 to return to its rest position and the slot 84 closes so that the retaining ribs 88 are received fully in the undercuts 90 to firmly and positively secure the housing 72 in position.
As should be appreciated, the housing 72 of the second dirt collection module 70 also includes a connection conduit 106. As the housing 72 is seated on the top of the base unit 12, the connection conduit 106 is aligned with and is received in the suction conduit 38 of the base unit with a tight friction fit that seals that conduit connection.
During operation of this embodiment dirt and debris is swept by the bristle tufts 22 of the rotary agitator 18 into the air stream being draw into the suction inlet 20 by means of the suction generator 26. The air stream entrained with dirt and debris is then serially drawn through the conduit 64 and the suction tube 96 to the interior of the filter bag 76. The dirt and debris is trapped in the filter bag 76 while the clean air, capable of passing through the filter bag material is drawn through the exhaust vent 108 at the bottom of the bag compartment 74. From there the air stream is directed through the connection conduit 106 and suction conduit 38 to the suction generator compartment 24. The air stream then passes over the motor of the suction generator 26 to provide cooling before exiting the suction generator compartment 24 and passing into the cord reel compartment 28. There the air stream cools the cord reel assembly 30 before being exhausted from the vacuum cleaner through the final filter 67 and the exhaust vent 68.
As should be appreciated, the base unit 12 may be fitted with either the first dirt collection module 14 including a dirt cup 42 or the second dirt collection module 70 including a bag compartment 74 and filter bag 76. Thus, a base unit 12 of one individual design and construction may be used to manufacture an upright vacuum cleaner 10 of the dirt cup or filter bag type. Accordingly, it should be appreciated a method of reducing vacuum cleaner manufacturing costs is provided. That method includes the steps of (a) producing at least two base units 12 of a single embodiment including a suction inlet 20 and a suction generator 26, (b) producing a first dirt collection module 14 having a dirt cup 42, (c) producing a second dirt collection module 70 having a bag compartment 74 and filter bag 76, (d) attaching a first dirt collection module to one of the two base units to make an upright vacuum cleaner with a dirt cup and (e) attaching the second dirt collection module to another of the at least two base units to make an upright vacuum cleaner with a filter bag. Thus, a single embodiment of base unit is utilized to make two types of upright vacuum cleaners thereby reducing design, parts and manufacturing costs.
The method may further include the steps of (a) providing a locating element 36 on the base unit 12 for properly locating the first dirt collection module 14 and, more specifically, the dirt cup 42, thereon and (s) optionally providing an adapter 80 overlying the locating element for property supporting the second dirt collection module 70. This allows the second dirt collection module 70 to be connected to the base unit 12 instead of the first dirt collection module 14. Further, the method includes providing the locating element 36 with an undercut 90 and providing the adapter 80 with a projecting or retaining rib 88 received and held in the undercut.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the vacuum cleaner have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the vacuum cleaner to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, while the suction generator 26 is carried in a suction generator compartment 24 of the base unit 12 in the illustrated embodiments, it should be appreciated that the suction generator could be provided in the modules 14, 70 if desired. The embodiments were chosen and described to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the vacuum cleaner in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The drawings and preferred embodiments do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims in their fair and broad interpretation in any way.
