Patent Application
20120167335
This document relates generally to the floor care equipment field and more particularly to an upright vacuum cleaner including a twin pivot connecting arm providing enhanced maneuverability.
Upright vacuum cleaners have long been known in the art. Upright vacuum cleaners generally include a nozzle assembly having a bottom plate with a suction inlet that rides over the floor. Typically, a rotary agitator is provided in the suction inlet. A control handle or canister assembly is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. The control handle is rocked rearwardly into an oblique, use position as the operator manipulates the vacuum cleaner to and fro across the floor to be cleaned.
In the past, the pivotal connection between the nozzle assembly and canister assembly on most upright vacuum cleaners incorporated a single pivot axis extending in a line transverse to the nozzle assembly and parallel to the suction inlet. While such an arrangement provides effective control for guiding the vacuum cleaner, it does not provide an attack angle that allows an operator to initiate turns efficiently for ease of operation and maximum control.
The present invention relates to a new and improved upright vacuum cleaner including a twin pivot connecting arm between the nozzle assembly and handle or canister assembly that provides for enhanced maneuverability and ease of operation.
An upright vacuum cleaner is provided comprising a body including a nozzle assembly and a handle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet and a pivot. Both a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel are carried on the body. In addition, a connector arm pivotally connects the handle assembly to the nozzle assembly. That connector arm includes (a) a hub received on the pivot in order to provide a first pivotal connection along a first axis and (b) a trunion providing a second pivotal connection about which the handle assembly is tilted.
More specifically describing the upright vacuum cleaner, the pivot is an airstream conduit carried on the nozzle assembly. That air stream conduit provides a fluid connection between the dirt collection vessel and the suction generator. The handle assembly further includes a receiver that receives and holds the trunion. A pin secures the handle assembly to the trunion of the connector arm. More specifically, the receiver includes a socket that receives a first end of the trunion while the pin is received in a second end of the trunion. In addition, the connector arm includes a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions are connected together to form the hub. Further, the trunion is provided on the first portion.
The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of and together with the description serve to explain certain principles of a vacuum cleaner. In the drawings:
a is a schematical block diagram of the vacuum cleaner illustrated in
a and 2b are left side elevational views of the vacuum cleaner illustrating, respectively, the handle assembly in the upright storage position and a lowered or inclined operating position;
a and 6b are detailed perspective views of the bottom housing end of the handle assembly including the receiver that receives the trunion on the end of the connector arm;
a-8c are top plan views illustrating the handle assembly in an inclined, operative position for guiding the vacuum cleaner, respectively, to the right, straight ahead and to the left;
a and 9b are detailed cross sectional views illustrating the cooperating cam structures provided on the nozzle assembly and handle assembly to vertically orient the handle assembly into a stable, storage position with respect to the nozzle assembly; and
c are, respectively, a detailed perspective view of the first latching cam on the connector arm, the second cooperating latching cam on the release pedal and a detailed cross sectional view through the nozzle assembly illustrating the entire latch assembly in position to lock the handle assembly in the upright storage position.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Reference is now made to
As illustrated schematically in
The handle assembly 14 includes a control stalk 28 having a hand grip 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the switches 32 for controlling operation of the vacuum cleaner are provided on the nozzle assembly 12. However, it should be appreciated that the switches 32 could be provided along the control stalk 28 adjacent the hand grip 30. The handle assembly 14 also carries a dirt collection vessel generally designated by reference numeral 34. In the illustrated embodiment the dirt collection vessel 34 comprises a reusable dirt cup 36. The dirt cup 36 may include a cylindrical sidewall, a tangentially directed inlet and an axially directed outlet so as to provide cyclonic cleaning action. A primary filter may be provided in the dirt cup 36 or downstream from the dirt cup as desired. In an alternative embodiment the dirt collection vessel 34 may comprise a vacuum cleaner filter bag of a type known in the art held in a filter bag compartment provided in the handle assembly 14.
As noted above, electrical power is supplied to the vacuum cleaner 10 from a standard electrical wall outlet through an electrical cord 27. Alternatively or additionally, the vacuum cleaner 10 could be powered by battery if desired. The vacuum cleaner 10 is supported for movement along a floor on a series of wheels. More specifically as illustrated in
During normal vacuum cleaner operation, the rotary agitator 22 is driven by the motor of the suction generator 26 and functions to beat dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet. The suction generator 26 also functions to draw a vacuum air stream into the suction inlet 20. Dirt and debris from the carpet is entrained in that airstream, which is then drawn by the suction generator 26 into the dirt collection vessel 34 through a conduit 35. Dirt and debris is captured in the dirt collection vessel 34 while relatively clean air is drawn through an air stream conduit 42 to the suction generator 26. More specifically, that air stream then passes through a secondary fine particle filter 46 before passing over the motor of the suction generator 26 to provide cooling. The exhaust air from suction motor 26 passes through a final filter 48 such as a HEPA filter, before passing over the cord reel 25 to cool the electrical contacts (not shown). The air is then exhausted through port 44 into the environment.
As noted above, the handle assembly 14 and the nozzle assembly 12 of the vacuum cleaner 10 are connected together by a twin pivot connector arm 18. More specifically, as illustrated in
As further illustrated in
As should be appreciated from reviewing
More specifically, the connector arm 18 and handle assembly 14 may be pivoted about the pivot/air stream conduit 42 and the first pivot axis PA1 forward and backward through an arc of between approximately 0 and about 96 degrees. In addition, the handle assembly 14 may be pivoted transversely (i.e. from left to right) to the trunion 52 of the connector arm 18 about the second pivot axis PA2 through an arc of about 60 degrees: that is 30 degrees in each direction from a centerline position. Advantageously, the ability of the handle assembly 14 to pivot transversely or from left to right about the trunion 52 provides the operator with a better attack angle for manipulating/directing the vacuum cleaner 10 to quickly turn right or left as desired thereby enhancing maneuverability over vacuum cleaners of the prior art incorporating a single pivot connection between the nozzle and handle assemblies 12, 14.
As further illustrated in
A latch assembly, generally designated by reference numeral 80 functions to lock the handle assembly 14 in the storage position. As illustrated in
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. 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.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/429,940, filed on 5 Jan. 2011, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61429940 | Jan 2011 | US |
