VACUUM CLEANER WITH WAND ACTIVATED CONVERSION VALVE

Abstract

A floor care apparatus includes a housing having a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. A suction inlet is provided on the nozzle assembly. A dirt collection vessel, a suction generator and a wand receiver are carried on the housing. A first air flow pathway connects the suction inlet to the dirt collection vessel and the suction generator. An air flow control valve includes a valve body received in the first air flow pathway and an actuator having at least a portion thereof extending into the wand receiver. A cleaning wand assembly is displaceable between a first storage position wherein a first end of the cleaning wand assembly is held in the wand receiver engaging the actuator and opening the valve and a second position wherein the cleaning wand assembly is withdrawn from the wand receiver for cleaning with the cleaning wand assembly thereby disengaging the actuator and closing the valve. A second air flow pathway connects the cleaning wand assembly to the first air flow pathway between the valve body and the dirt collection vessel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrates several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serves to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 a and 1b are respective front and rear perspective views of a floor care apparatus, in this instance an upright vacuum cleaner, constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed partially exploded perspective view illustrating the rear of the canister assembly including a portion of the first air flow pathway, the cleaning wand assembly and the flow control valve;

FIG. 3 is a detailed rear elevational view showing how the flow control valve and biasing spring are mounted in the canister assembly to allow for pivoting movement about the pivot shaft of the flow control valve;

FIG. 4 a is a detailed cross sectional view illustrating the cleaning wand assembly in the first position, received in the wand receiver and fully seated on the actuator;

FIG. 4 b is a cross sectional view illustrating the position of the valve body in the first air pathway when the cleaning wand assembly is in the first position as illustrated in FIG. 4a;

FIG. 5 a is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4a but illustrating the wand cleaning assembly in the second position as it is withdrawn from the fully seated position in the wand receiver;

FIG. 5 b is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4b but illustrating the position of the valve body in the first air flow pathway when the cleaning wand assembly is in the second position withdrawn from the wand receiver as illustrated in FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6 is a schematical representation of a dirt cup providing for cyclonic airflow;

FIG. 7 is a schematical air flow diagram for the vacuum cleaner of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a partially exploded, perspective view illustrating the latch mechanism for holding the cleaning wand assembly in the fully seated position on the canister assembly.

Claims

1. A floor care apparatus comprising: a housing including a nozzle assembly including a suction inlet and a canister assembly connected to said nozzle assembly;a dirt collection vessel carried on said housing;a suction generator carried on said housing;a first air flow pathway connecting said suction outlet to said dirt collection vessel and said suction generator;a wand receiver carried on said housing;an air flow control valve having a valve body received in said first air flow pathway and an actuator having at least a portion thereof extending into said wand receiver;a cleaning wand assembly displaceable between a first storage position wherein a first end of said cleaning wand assembly is held in said wand receiver engaging said actuator and opening said valve and a second position wherein said cleaning wand assembly is withdrawn from said wand receiver for cleaning with said cleaning wand assembly thereby disengaging said actuator and closing said valve; anda second air flow pathway connecting said cleaning wand assembly to said first air flow pathway between said valve body and said dirt collection vessel.

2. The floor care apparatus of claim 1 wherein said actuator includes a plug for sealing and closing an open end of said cleaning wand assembly when said cleaning wand assembly is in said first position.

3. The floor care apparatus of claim 2, further including a spring connected to said flow control valve and biasing said flow control valve into a normally closed position.

4. The floor care apparatus of claim 3, wherein said flow control valve includes a pivot shaft and said valve body and said actuator pivot about a pivot axis defined by said pivot shaft.

5. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, further including a spring connected to said flow control valve and biasing said flow control valve into a normally closed position.

6. The floor care apparatus of claim 5, wherein said flow control valve includes a pivot shaft and said valve body and said actuator pivot about a pivot axis defined by said pivot shaft.

7. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a filter bag.

8. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.

9. The floor care apparatus of claim 8, wherein said dirt cup includes a cylindrically shaped dirt collection chamber, a tangentially directed inlet and an axially directed outlet.

10. The floor care apparatus of claim 9, further including a primary filter in said dirt cup upstream from said axial outlet.

11. The floor care apparatus of claim 10, further including a secondary filter in said first air flow pathway between said dirt cup and said suction generator.

12. The floor care apparatus of claim 11, further including a final filter in said first air flow pathway downstream from said suction generator.

13. The floor care apparatus of claim 12, further including at least one rotary agitator carried by said nozzle assembly adjacent said suction inlet.

14. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, further including at least one rotary agitator carried by said nozzle assembly adjacent said suction inlet.

15. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein said canister assembly is pivotally connected to said nozzle assembly.

16. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cleaning wand assembly includes a flexible hose.

17. The floor care apparatus of claim 16, wherein said cleaning wand assembly includes first and second telescoping sections.

18. The floor care apparatus of claim 7, wherein said cleaning wand assembly includes a control handle.