Upright vacuum cleaner incorporating telescopic wand assembly with trigger operation

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. A suction generator and a dirt collection vessel are both carried on the housing. The vacuum cleaner also includes a detachable telescopic wand assembly. That wand assembly includes a first wand section, a second wand section, a wand lock for securing the two wand sections together and a trigger actuator for operating the wand lock. The trigger actuator is located remote from the wand lock on the wand assembly.

Description

The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/598,748 filed on Aug. 4, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to an upright vacuum cleaner equipped with a telescopic handle and wand assembly that may be conveniently operated by means of a trigger.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Upright vacuum cleaners have become increasingly popular over recent years. An upright vacuum cleaner may be generally described as comprising a canister assembly that is pivotally connected to a nozzle assembly. The canister assembly includes an operating handle that is manipulated by the operator to move the vacuum cleaner back and forth across the floor during the cleaning operation. The canister assembly also includes a dirt collection vessel, in the form of a dirt cup or filter bag that traps dirt and debris. A suction generator, in the form of a motor driven fan, is provided on either the nozzle assembly or the canister assembly. It is this suction generator that provides the drop in air pressure necessary to produce the desired cleaning action.

The nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet through which dirt and debris is drawn into the vacuum cleaner by the suction generator. In order to provide more effective cleaning of the nap of rugs and carpets, most upright vacuum cleaners are also equipped with a rotary agitator. The rotary agitator is carried on the nozzle assembly and usually extends substantially across the full width of the suction inlet. During vacuum cleaner operation the rotary agitator beats dirt and debris from the nap of the underlying carpet. That dirt and debris is then drawn in an airstream through the suction inlet into the vacuum cleaner by the suction generator. The dirt and debris becomes entrapped in the dirt collection vessel and the suction generator then moves the clean air through the motor to provide cooling before exhausting that air back into the environment.

In order to allow above floor cleaning of, for example, baseboards, draperies and upholstered furniture, many upright vacuum cleaners are equipped with a wand assembly. Such a wand assembly is generally connected to the upright vacuum cleaner by means of a flexible hose. Accordingly, when disconnected from the canister assembly, the wand assembly may be freely manipulated to provide the desired above floor cleaning.

The present invention relates to an upright vacuum cleaner equipped with a telescopic wand assembly which allows the length of the wand to be adjusted in order to meet the needs of any particular cleaning application. Advantageously, the telescopic wand assembly is also equipped with a trigger actuator. Advantageously, such an actuator allows the operator to quickly and conveniently extend or retract the telescopic wand as desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved upright vacuum cleaner is provided. The upright vacuum cleaner comprises a housing including a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. A suction generator and dirt collection vessel are both carried on the housing. In addition the vacuum cleaner includes a detachable telescopic wand assembly. That wand assembly includes a first wand section, a second wand section, a wand lock for securing the first and second wand sections together and a trigger actuator for operating the wand lock. The trigger actuator is located remote from the wand lock on the wand assembly.

More specifically describing the invention, a linkage connects the trigger actuator to the wand lock. The linkage includes a crank and a link arm. The crank includes a first end, a second end and a hub between the first and second ends. The first end of the crank is connected to the trigger actuator while the second end of the crank is connected to the link arm. A pivot pin is received in the hub and pivotally connects the crank to the wand assembly.

Still further describing the invention the wand assembly further includes a control handle. The control handle includes a hand grip. The trigger actuator is carried on the control handle adjacent the hand grip where it may be conveniently manipulated by the operator to control operation of the wand lock and allow the extension or retraction of the telescoping wand assembly as needed for any particular cleaning application.

Still further describing the invention the wand lock includes a spring loaded latch and the second wand section includes a series of spaced notches. The latch is selectively received in one of the notches in order to secure the first wand section relative to the second wand section and thereby maintain the telescoping wand assembly at a particular length during the cleaning operation.

In accordance with still additional aspects of the present invention, the nozzle assembly and the canister assembly are pivotally connected together. Further, the dirt collection vessel may take the form of a filter bag or a dirt cup. The dirt cup may be substantially cylindrical in shape and include a tangentially directed inlet in order to provide cyclonic cleaning action. No matter the shape of the dirt cup, the dirt cup may also carry a filter for stripping dirt and debris from the airstream and maintaining that dirt and debris in the dirt cup. Still further the vacuum cleaner may also include a final filter downstream from the suction generator to strip carbon particles from the suction motor brushes or other contaminants from the airstream before that airstream is exhausted back into the environment.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a method is provided for manufacturing a telescopic wand including a first wand section, a second wand section, a wand lock and a control handle. The method comprises providing the control handle adjacent a first end of the first wand section, providing the wand lock adjacent a second end of the first wand section and providing a control trigger for said wand lock adjacent said control handle and remote from said wand lock.

In the following description there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing 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 drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the wand assembly withdrawn from the canister assembly to allow for above floor cleaning;

FIG. 3 illustrates a dirt cup of cylindrical construction including a tangentially directed inlet and a centrally located filter so as to provide for cyclonic airflow;

FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view illustrating the trigger actuator of the present invention for releasing the wand lock and allowing the telescoping wand assembly to be extended or retracted; and

FIGS. 5a and 5b are schematical illustrations of the operation of the trigger assembly and wand lock.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention relates to an upright vacuum cleaner 10 including a housing comprising both a nozzle assembly 12 and a canister assembly 14. The canister assembly 14 is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly 12. The upright vacuum cleaner 10 rides over the floor surface being cleaned on wheels 15 carried on the housing.

The nozzle assembly 12 includes a suction inlet 16. A rotary agitator 18 carried on the nozzle assembly 12 is mounted in the suction inlet 16. The rotary agitator 18 includes bristle tufts 20, brushes, wipers or the like to beat dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned as the agitator 18 is rotated at high speeds with respect to that carpet and the nozzle assembly 12.

The canister assembly 14 includes a dirt collection vessel 22 housed in an internal cavity 23. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the dirt collection vessel 22 is a dust bag of permeable filter material adapted to entrap dirt and debris while allowing the passage of clean air through the bag. In an alternative embodiment the dirt collection vessel 22 may take the form of a dirt cup 24. As illustrated in FIG. 3, such a dirt cup 24 may include a cylindrical dirt collection chamber 26 having a tangentially directed inlet 26 and an axial outlet 28. Such an arrangement promotes cyclonic airflow in the chamber 26 which efficiently removes dirt and debris from the airstream in a manner well known in the art. A filter 30 may be concentrically mounted within the dirt collection chamber 26 over the outlet 28. Such a filter 30 strips any remaining fine dirt and debris from the airstream as it moves through the filter toward the outlet 28.

The canister assembly 14 also includes a telescopic wand assembly generally designated by reference numeral 32. The wand assembly 32 includes first and second telescopic wand sections 34, 36. The second wand section 36 is telescopingly received in the first wand section 34. The wand sections 34 and 36 are connected together by a wand lock, generally designated by reference numeral 38, that is carried on the end of the section 34. A control handle 40 having a hand grip 42 is provided at the end of the first wand section 34 opposite the wand lock 38. The end of the second wand section 36 opposite the wand lock 38 is received in a connector 44 mounted to the rear of the canister assembly 14. A flexible hose 46 extends from the control handle 40 to the inlet 48 connected to the dirt collection vessel 22.

During standard floor cleaning operation, the rotary agitator 18 scrubs and beats dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. A suction generator 50 carried on the housing draws air entrained with that dirt and debris through the suction inlet 16, the connector 44, the wand section 36, the wand section 34, the control handle 40, the hose 46 and the inlet 48 into the dirt collection vessel 22. The dirt and debris is captured in the vessel 22 while relatively clean air is drawn over the motor of the suction generator 50 in order to provide cooling. That air is then exhausted through a final filter (not shown) and returned to the environment through an exhaust port 54.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 the wand assembly 32 includes a distal end that is removable from the canister assembly 14 to allow manipulation and specialty cleaning. More specifically, the distal end of the wand section 36 is removable from the connector 44. The telescopic sections 34, 36 of the wand assembly 24 may then be retracted or extended as desired to produce a wand of desired length. The wand assembly 32 is then manipulated by the operator through the control handle 40. In this mode of operation air including dirt and debris is drawn into the open distal end of the wand assembly 32. That air then travels through the wand section 36, the wand section 34, the control handle 40, the hose 46 and the inlet 48 into the dirt collection vessel 22. There the dirt becomes trapped and clean air then passes over the motor of the suction generator 50 before being exhausted through the final filter 52 and exhaust port 54 into the environment.

The vacuum cleaner 10 is equipped with a user friendly feature for operating the telescopic wand 32. More particularly, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the control handle 40 is equipped with a trigger actuator 60 for operating the wand lock 38. A lug 62 on the trigger actuator 60 is connected by a linkage, including a crank 64 and a link arm 66, to a sliding lock actuator 68 for locking the two sections 34, 36 of the wand assembly 32 together. The lock actuator 68 is of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,474 to Ohara et al., the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

As best illustrated schematically in FIGS. 5a-5b, the lock actuator 68 is received for sliding movement in a chamber 70 formed in the sheath 72 carried on the wand section 34. More specifically, the chamber 70 is formed between the end wall 74, the outer sheath wall 76 and the stop or bulkhead 78. A coil spring 79 biases the lock actuator 68 toward the stop 78 into a home position. In this position, the lock actuator 68 engages a locking pin 80 and holds that pin in a locking notch 82 formed in the wall of the wand section 36 thereby securing the wand sections 34, 36 together in a selected position (see FIG. 5a).

The telescopic wand assembly 32 may be extended or retracted by manipulating the trigger actuator 60. More specifically, by pulling the trigger actuator 60 toward the hand grip 42, the crank 64 is rotated about the pivot pin 84 in a clockwise direction (see action arrow A in FIGS. 5b). This in turn moves the rigid link arm 66 in the direction of action arrow B sliding the lock actuator 68 against the biasing force of the spring 79 toward the end wall 74. As a result of this movement, the slot 90 in the actuator 68 is aligned over the locking pin 80.

As the operator moves the wand section 36 relative to the wand section 34 in order to extend or retract the wand assembly 32 as desired, the locking pin 80 rides up the sloped sidewall of the locking notch 82 and retracts into the slot 90 in the actuator 68. With the locking pin 80 free of the notch 82, the wand section 34 moves freely relative to the wand section 36 and the wand assembly 32 may be lengthened or shortened as desired to meet the operator's needs for any particular cleaning application.

Once the wand assembly 32 is extended or retracted as desired, the operator releases the trigger actuator 60. The spring 79 then biases the lock actuator 68 back toward the stop 78 and its home position. The sloped cam surface 92 in the slot 90 functions to force the locking pin 80 down into the new locking notch 82 now aligned therewith. As this occurs, the lock actuator 68 continues to slide in the direction of action arrow C in FIG. 5b until the pin 80 is captured in the notch 82 by the bottom wall of the actuator as illustrated in FIG. 5a. In this position, the wand sections 34, 36 are again locked together and the wand assembly 32 may not be lengthened or shortened until the trigger actuator 60 is again manipulated to release the wand lock 38 in the manner previously described.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has 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. For example, while the link arm 54 is illustrated in FIG. 3 as being exposed, it could run through a sheath connected between the control handle 40 and the actuator 68.

The embodiment was 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 embodiment do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.

Claims

1. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing including a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly;

a suction generator carried on said housing;

a dirt collection vessel carried on said housing;

a detachable telescopic wand assembly including a first wand section, a second wand section, a wand lock for securing said first and second wand sections together and a trigger actuator for operating said wand lock, said trigger actuator being located remote from said wand lock on said wand assembly.

2. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a linkage connecting said trigger actuator to said wand lock.

3. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said linkage includes a crank and a link arm.

4. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said crank is pivotally connected to said wand assembly.

5. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said crank includes a first end connected to said trigger actuator and a second end connected to said link arm.

6. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein a first end of said link arm is connected to said crank and a second end of said link arm is connected to said wand lock.

7. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein said crank includes a hub between said first end and said second end.

8. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein a pivot pin is received in said hub, said pivot pin pivotally connecting said crank to said wand assembly.

9. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein said wand lock includes a sliding actuator, a biasing spring and a locking pin and said second wand section includes a series of spaced notches, said locking pin being selectively received in one of said notches in order to secure said first wand section relative to said second wand section.

10. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said wand assembly further includes a control handle.

11. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein said control handle includes a hand grip.

12. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1 1, wherein said trigger actuator is carried on said control handle adjacent said hand grip.

13. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly are pivotally connected together.

14. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a filter bag.

15. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.

16. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein said dirt cup is substantially cylindrical in shape and includes a tangentially directed inlet.

17. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein said dirt cup carries a filter.

18. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein said dirt cup carries a filter.

19. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a final filter downstream from said suction generator.

20. A method for manufacturing a telescopic wand including a first wand section, a second wand section, a wand lock and a control handle, comprising:

providing said control handle adjacent a first end of said first wand section;

providing said wand lock adjacent a second end of said first wand section; and

providing a control trigger for said wand lock adjacent said control handle and remote from said wand lock.