Patent Application
20070022562
The present invention relates generally to cleaning devices, such as vacuum cleaners, wet extractors, brooms, and other floor cleaning devices, and more specifically to handle structures for vacuum cleaners and the like.
Electric vacuum cleaners and other floor cleaning devices are in almost universal use in homes, workplaces and other locations where quick and efficient floor cleaning is desired. Typical cleaning devices include a rigid grip structure that is adapted to fit into a user's hand in a generally comfortable and ergonomic manner. Examples of such hand grips are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,082,376; 6,311,366; and 6,484,352, which patents are incorporated herein by reference.
While the known rigid grip structures can be comfortable, not all users may find such rigid grips to fit their particular anatomy. Users may also find that such grips are initially comfortable, but become uncomfortable as a result of prolonged use and repeated movement. In some cases, such prolonged use may result in repetitive motion stress injuries.
Some efforts have been made to avoid discomfort or injury associated with prolonged use of vacuum cleaners. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,939,579; 6,101,672; and 6,742,222 disclose vacuum cleaners having a hand grip that can pivot about the axis of the device's handle post and be locked in any of a number of angular positions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,175 discloses a somewhat different arrangement, in which the grip is attached to the handle post such that it can pivot about an axis perpendicular to the device's direction of travel. The foregoing patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Despite these attempts to alleviate the discomfort of prolonged use of vacuum cleaner handles, there still exists a need for a handle grip structure that provides even greater user ergonomics, comfort and flexibility.
The present invention provides a multi-axial pivoting handgrip for floor cleaning devices.
In one aspect, a handgrip of the invention comprises a handle base, a yoke attached to the handle base, a carrier member pivotally mounted to the yoke, and a grip mounted to the carrier member. The grip has a grip axis oriented along the length of the grip. In a variation of this aspect, the grip is pivotable about the grip axis. In another variation, the carrier member has a ring shape, with the grip mounted within the ring shape. In still another variation, the carrier member has an outer ring and an inner ring, with the inner ring adapted to co-planarly pivot within the outer ring, and the grip mounted to the inner ring. In the foregoing variation, the grip may be pivotable about the grip axis, and at least a portion of the inner ring may fit into a circumferential track on the outer ring. The outer ring may include first and second ring halves, each of which forms at least a portion of the circumferential track, and which capture the inner ring in place when they are attached to one another. In still another variation, the handle base has a handle axis extending generally parallel therewith, and the handle base and/or the yoke is pivotable about the handle axis.
In another aspect, a handgrip of the invention has a handle base, a first member attached to the handle base and adapted to be pivotable about a first axis, and a second member attached to the first member and adapted to be pivotable about a second axis. In this aspect, the first axis is fixed with respect to the handle base, and the second axis is fixed with respect to the first member. In a first variation of this aspect, the first member comprises a first ring, and the second member may include a grip located within the first ring. In the foregoing variation, the second axis may be parallel with the length of the grip. In another variation, the first member comprises a first ring and the second member comprises an inner ring disposed within the first ring and adapted to rotate co-planarly therein. In still another variation, the handle base comprises a yoke and the first member is attached to the yoke to pivot about the first axis. In still another variation, the handgrip also includes a grip, in addition to the first and second members. In this variation, the grip may be pivotable about a grip axis oriented along the length of the grip. In another variation, the handgrip has at least one locking member adapted to prevent the first member, the second member, and/or the grip from pivoting about its respective axis. In still another variation, the first member, second member, and/or grip is freely pivotable about its respective axis during operation of the floor cleaning device.
In another aspect, a handgrip of the invention is attached to a floor cleaning device having a vacuum inlet, a dirt collection device, an air flow path from the vacuum inlet to the dirt collection device, and a vacuum source adapted to generate a working air flow through the air flow path from the vacuum inlet to the dirt collection device. In a variation of this aspect, the vacuum cleaning device comprises a nozzle base holding the vacuum inlet, and an upright housing pivotally attached thereto, and the handle base is attached to the upright housing. In another variation of this aspect, the vacuum cleaning device comprises a nozzle base holding the vacuum inlet, a canister housing separate from the nozzle base and adapted to hold the dirt collection device, and a hose attaching the nozzle base to the canister housing. In this variation, the hose forms at least a portion of the airflow path, and at least one flexible hose portion and at least one rigid hose portion. The handle base is attached to the rigid hose portion in the foregoing variation.
Other embodiments, features, aspects and variations of the invention are also included within the scope of the invention.
The following Figures are provided to assist the reader with understanding the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the Figures.
The present invention provides an improved cleaning device handgrip. A handgrip of the present invention can be used with any type of cleaning device, such as vacuum cleaners (for example, as a grip on an upright handle, or on a canister vacuum hose extension handle), liquid or powder extraction machines, and floor sweepers. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,794,297; 6,082,376; 6,311,366; 6,484,352; and 6,695,352, and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0111826, which are incorporated herein by reference. A handgrip of the present invention can also be used with other types of floor cleaning devices, such as brooms, mops or other cleaning devices.
Referring now to
A carrier member 208 is pivotally mounted to the yoke 204 on one or more pivots 210. The pivots 210 can comprise any type of pivoting joint, but preferably comprise two round posts 212 that protrude from the carrier member 208 and fit into corresponding round holes 214 on the yoke 204. One or more bushings or bearings (not shown) may be provided to ensure a smooth pivoting attachment between the carrier member 208 and the yoke 204, or the posts 212 and holes 214 may simply comprise materials that are selected and sized to move with relatively little friction and/or wear relative to one another. For example, the yoke holes 214 and/or the posts 212 may be stainless steel, acetal (also known as polyacetal, polyoxymethylene, or polyformaldehyde), or other engineering plastics, such as polycarbonate, glass-filled nylon, and so on. Suitable acetal materials include Delrin™, which is available from E.I du Pont de Nemours and Company, and Celcon™, which is available from Ticona, a division of Celanese Corporation. The holes 214 and/or posts 212 may be formed of self lubricating materials, and may be lubricated with a dry or liquid lubricant. The posts 212 or holes 214 may also be provided with lubricants, seals, or other devices to help create a durable pivoting joint. The selection of materials and use of other parts to create pivoting joints is generally known in the art, and a person of ordinary skill in the art will be able to incorporate such features into the present invention without undue experimentation.
The carrier member 208 pivots relative to the handle base 202 and yoke 204 about a first axis 216. This first axis 216 is fixed with respect to the handle base 202 and the yoke 204—that is to say, the first axis 216 remains in the same location and at the same orientation relative to the handle base 202 and the yoke 204 (which are fixed together in this embodiment), regardless of their position. In a preferred embodiment, the first axis 216 is parallel with the wheel axis 114 (
In the embodiment of
The carrier member 208 comprises an outer ring 218 and an inner ring 220. The outer ring 218 and inner ring 220 are attached to one another such that the inner ring 220 can rotate within the outer ring 218 in a co-planar fashion. As shown in
The outer and inner rings 218, 220 may be constructed in any manner that allows the desired relative rotation. In a preferred embodiment, the outer ring 218 comprises two semi-circular ring halves 224 that are joined by fasteners, such as screws 225, at each end of the halves 224. To this end, each ring half 224 has a threaded hole 226 at one end, and a corresponding hole 228 at the other end. The hole 228 is located within a recess 230, which allows the screw 225 to be installed below the outer surface of the ring half 224. Each ring half 224 has one of the posts 212 attached thereto by a suitable fastener, such as screw 213. In alternative embodiments, the ring halves 224 may be joined by snap fittings or other attachments that do not require additional fasteners, or may be permanently joined, such as by adhesive bonding or ultrasonic welding. Furthermore, the posts 212 may be integrally formed with the ring halves, rather than being made as separate subassemblies. In order to minimize production costs, the ring halves 224 are preferably symmetrical and interchangeable.
The ring halves 224 each form a portion of a circumferential track 232 into which a corresponding circumferential rail 234 on the inner ring 220 fits. When the two ring halves 224 are attached to one another with the inner ring 220 between them, the inner ring 220 is captured in place by the engagement between the rail 234 and the track 232. The track 232 and rail 234 are preferably formed of materials that slide across one another with relatively little friction or wear, such as hard plastics, metals, ceramics, composites, or combinations thereof. The track 232 and/or rail may also be lubricated or provided with bearings to help provide a durable pivoting arrangement. In a preferred embodiment, the outer and inner rings 218, 220 are formed of a self-lubricating acetal material, but may be formed of other materials and lubricated with conventional lubricants such as polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”), such as Teflon™, molybdenum disulfide, and so on.
The foregoing construction allows the inner ring 220 to freely rotate within the outer ring 218 and about the second axis 222. If desired, one or more travel stops (not shown) may be provided to limit the angle through which the inner ring 220 can rotate. Also, a resilient member (not shown) may be provided on the outer or inner ring 218, 220 that fits into corresponding detents (not shown) in the other ring to resiliently hold the inner ring 220 at one or more particular positions about the second axis 222.
A grip 236 is preferably mounted in the inner ring 220. The grip 236 comprises a grippable, elongate structure having a profile that is selected and sized to fit within a typical user's hand. In a preferred embodiment, the grip 236 is approximately cylindrical. The grip 236 may also be coated with a pliable or grip-enhancing material to increase comfort, improve grip, and reduce vibrations. The grip 236 is preferably pivotally mounted to the inner ring 220 such that it is free to rotate about a grip axis 238, which is oriented along the length of the grip 236. The grip axis 238 is fixed with respect to the inner ring 220, and as the inner ring 220 rotates within the outer ring 218, so does the grip axis 238.
The grip 236 is mounted to the inner ring 220 in any manner that allows it to pivot about the grip axis 238. In a preferred embodiment, the grip 236 is attached by positioning it within the inner ring 220 and installing screws 237 through holes 240 in the inner ring 220. The screws are installed such that they hold the grip 236, but do not clamp against the inner ring 220, and thus allow the grip 236 to pivot about the grip axis 238. Other attachment methods, such as simple pins, may also be used. Bearings, bushings, wear-resistant materials, and lubricants may also be used to help provide a low friction and/or wear resistant pivoting junction between the grip 236 and the inner ring 220, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure.
The foregoing embodiment of the invention provides a handgrip 100 for cleaning devices that can pivot about three axes to orient the grip in virtually any position to accommodate a user's needs. The first pivot axis 216, second pivot axis 222 and grip pivot axis 238 preferably intersect at a common point 242, which is aligned with the handle base's axis 206. This allows a user to center his or her hand on the grip 236 and apply direct forward and backwards driving forces to the handle base 202, regardless of the orientation of the grip 236, and without the driving forces causing the grip 236, inner ring 220, or carrier member 208 to rotate.
The multi-axial pivoting handgrip 100 of the embodiment of
While the 3-axis pivoting handgrip of
In another embodiment, shown in
In yet another embodiment, shown in
The embodiments of
Referring now to
The handgrip 700 has a first locking member 750 comprising a first thumbscrew 752. The first thumbscrew 752 is installed on the yoke 704 in a threaded hole 754 proximate one of the holes 710 in which the carrier member pivot posts 712 are inserted. When it is desired to prevent the carrier member 708 from pivoting relative to the yoke 704, the operator tightens the first thumbscrew 752 until it clamps the post 712 and holds the carrier member 708 in place. The post 712 may be provided with detents (not shown) into which the first thumbscrew 752 fits to provide a positive lock against rotation. Of course, other locking devices can be used in lieu of the first thumbscrew 752, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
The handgrip 700 also has a second locking member 760, which comprises a second thumbscrew 762. The second thumbscrew 762 is installed in a threaded hole 764 through the outer ring 718 of the carrier member 708. The end of the second thumbscrew 762 is adapted to press against the inner ring 720 when it is tightened, and thereby prevent the inner ring 720 from rotating relative to the outer ring 718. The inner ring 720 may also have detents into which the end of the second thumbscrew 762 fits to provide a positive lock against rotation. It will be appreciated that locking devices other than the second thumbscrew 752 may be used to lock the inner ring 720 in place.
The first and second locking members 750, 760 may be used to selectively lock the carrier member 708 and the inner ring 720 in place. This feature may be useful if a user finds a particular orientation of either or both of these parts to be the most comfortable, or does not wish to allow these parts to pivot during use. The handgrip 700 may also be provided with just one of the first and second locking members 750, 760. Furthermore, additional locking members may be provided to selectively prevent the grip 736 and/or yoke 704 from pivoting during use.
The embodiment of
While the embodiments described herein are preferred, these are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, many additional variations on the embodiments herein will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure and with practice of the invention. For example, multiple handgrips may be used on a single cleaning device and arranged to be either next to one another at the end of the cleaning device handle, or disposed at different locations along the handle's length, such as at first and second locations along the length of a mop handle. These and other variations are within the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.
