BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a conventional upright vacuum cleaner with a rigid handle.
FIG. 2 shows an upright vacuum cleaner with a swivel and swing handle according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates the swiveling and swinging action of the swivel and swing handle according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a different view of the swiveling and swinging action of the swivel and swing handle.
FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the ball and socket joint of the swivel and swing handle and its connection to the upper end of the upright portion of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 shows two alternative shapes of the swivel and swing handle according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows an exploded view corresponding to FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 2-4 shows an upright vacuum cleaner with a swivel and swing handle according to the present invention, which comprises a wheeled base 21 equipped with a motor (not shown), an upright portion 22 with the lower end pivotally connected to the wheeled base 21, a dust bag 23 attached to one side of the upright portion 22, a swivel and swing handle 4 having a ball and socket joint 3 connected to the upper end of the upright portion 22. Because of the ball and socket joint 3, the swivel and swing handle 4 can freely swivel and swing or rotate at an angle relative to the upright portion 22 of the vacuum cleaner. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the swivel and swing handle 4 with the ball and socket joint 3 allows the user to hold the vacuum cleaner in a more flexible manner and at more comfortable angles than with a conventional upright vacuum cleaner.
FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 respectively show a detailed view and an exploded view of the ball and socket joint 3 of the swivel and swing handle 4 and its connection to the upper end of the upright portion 22 of the vacuum cleaner. The ball and socket joint 3 comprises a ball embedded in a socket at one end of the swivel and swing handle 4 and a connecting bolt 6 extending from the ball. A locking nut 7 is affixed to the upper end of the upright portion 22. A threaded bolt hole 8 is drilled inside the upper end of the upright portion 22. The swivel and swing handle 4 is connected to the upright portion 22 by screwing the connecting bolt 6 into the threaded bolt hole 8 and tightening the bottom of the ball of the ball and socket joint 3 against the locking nut 7. Alternatively, a matching nut (not shown) may be provided around the connecting bolt 6 so that it is the matching nut, instead of the bottom of the ball and socket joint 3, that is tightened against the locking nut 7.
A spiral spring 24 surrounding the part of the connecting bolt 6 between the handle 4 and the upper end of the upright portion 22 of the vacuum cleaner can be further provided to enable the handle 4 to return to its normal upright position when it is released from grip or not in use. When then handle 4 is swung to one side, the spiral spring 24 is compressed on that side; therefore, when the handle 4 is released from grip, the spiral spring 24 will push the handle to its normal upright position.
In FIGS. 2-5 and 7, the swivel and swing handle 4 is straight without an angled or curved end, which is common in a conventional model. This is possible because the swivel and swing handle 4 already allows the handle to swivel and swing easily, rendering the angled or curved end less useful. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the swivel and swing handle 4 can also have an angled or curved end. Like handles in conventional models, the swivel and swing handle 4 can also be molded with various gripping surfaces for the user to grasp the handle tightly and comfortably.
Another advantage with the vacuum cleaner with a swivel and swing handle is that handles with different lengths, shapes, sizes and gripping surfaces can be interchangeably fitted with the same vacuum cleaner as long as the connecting bolt 6 matches the threaded bolt hole 8 inside the upper end of the upright portion 22 of the vacuum cleaner.
With the new upright vacuum cleaner with the swivel and swing handle, the user can easily change directions of its movement, turn around corners, reach under low clearance, etc. with less physical exertion and fewer changes in bodily stance than if a conventional upright vacuum cleaner is used. For example, the user can easily change the direction of the movement by about 200 degrees by wrist action only, without changing bodily stance. Moreover, instead of having to raise the handle of the vacuum cleaner up with a bent elbow, the user can hold the swivel and swing handle and hanging it straight down at one side of the body, with the arm in a natural relaxed position, as in walking. Furthermore, when the vacuum cleaner with the swivel and swing handle is drawn back, it can be drawn farther behind the body. Then, when the arm drawing back the vacuum cleaner swings back, the gravity will help the arm push the vacuum cleaner forward, all without bending the elbow.
Despite its usefulness, a vacuum cleaner with swivel and swing handle according to the present invention has never been available to consumers. Apparently, the invention is not obvious to one skilled in the art, beside its being new and useful. Therefore, this invention with the following claims should be patentable.
Patent Application
20080022483
