UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER WITH UNIQUE AIRSTREAM PATH

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a body having a nozzle assembly and a handle assembly. A suction generator and a dirt collection vessel are carried on the body. The vacuum cleaner also includes a cleaning wand, a supplemental cleaning tool connected to the first end of the cleaning wand and hose connected to a second end of the cleaning wand. Further the vacuum cleaner includes an airstream path passing serially through the nozzle assembly, the supplemental cleaning tool and the cleaning wand.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to an upright vacuum cleaner incorporating a supplemental cleaning tool and a unique airstream path passing through the supplemental cleaning tool even when the vacuum cleaner is configured for floor cleaning via the nozzle assembly.

BACKGROUND

It is known in the art to equip upright vacuum cleaners with a flexible hose and a wand assembly. Typically such vacuum cleaners incorporate supplemental cleaning tools. In operation, the operator releases the wand assembly from the housing of the upright vacuum cleaner, attaches the supplemental cleaning tool to the wand assembly and then completes the specialized cleaning application such as the above floor cleaning of draperies and upholstery or cleaning under furniture or in tight openings where the necessary clearance for use of the standard nozzle assembly does not exist. After completing the specialty cleaning application, the operator disconnects the supplemental cleaning tool from the wand assembly and returns the wand assembly to its proper position in engagement with the upright vacuum cleaner housing to thereby again allow standard upright vacuum cleaner operation.

Significantly, it should be appreciated that prior art upright vacuum cleaners of this design require the handling of the supplemental cleaning tool when mounting it on and removing it from the wand assembly. Most operators would prefer to not have to handle this cleaning tool as it is perceived as “dirty” whether or not it actually is. This document relates to an upright vacuum cleaner wherein the supplemental cleaning tool is secured to the wand assembly when it is removed from the upright vacuum cleaner for specialty cleaning applications and when it is returned and remounted or secured to the housing of the upright vacuum cleaner following the completion of the special cleaning application. This convenient and efficient approach eliminates any need for the operator to handle the dirty cleaning tool thereby increasing the satisfaction of the vacuum cleaner operator.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, an upright vacuum cleaner is provided comprising (a) a body including a nozzle assembly and a handle assembly, (b) a suction generator carried on the body and (c) a dirt collection vessel carried on the body. The upright vacuum cleaner further includes a cleaning wand, a supplemental cleaning tool connected to a first end of the cleaning wand and a hose connected to a second end of the cleaning wand. Further the upright vacuum cleaner includes an airstream path passing serially through the nozzle assembly, the supplemental cleaning tool and the cleaning wand.

In one possible embodiment the airstream path passes serially through the nozzle assembly, the supplemental cleaning tool, the cleaning wand, the hose, the dirt collection vessel and the suction generator. Further a final filter may be provided in the airstream path downstream from the suction generator.

In one possible embodiment, the nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet for feeding air to the supplemental cleaning tool. In one possible embodiment, the nozzle assembly includes an agitator cavity in fluid communication with the suction inlet. Further, a rotary agitator is provided in the agitator cavity.

In one possible embodiment the dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup with a cylindrical sidewall, a tangentially directed inlet and an axially directed outlet so as to provide cyclonic air flow for enhanced cleaning efficiency.

In one possible embodiment, the handle assembly includes (a) the cleaning wand, (b) a canister housing holding the suction generator and the dirt collection vessel and (c) a support housing connected to the nozzle assembly by means of a swivel. Further the embodiment includes a first actuator for releasing the canister housing from the support housing. In addition, the vacuum cleaner includes a second actuator for releasing the wand assembly and the supplemental cleaning tool from the canister housing for special cleaning application. In accordance with yet another aspect, the upright vacuum cleaner comprises a nozzle assembly having a first dirty air inlet, a supplemental cleaning tool having a second dirty air inlet, a dirt collection vessel for separating and collecting dirt in the airstream being drawn through the vacuum cleaner and a suction generator for drawing dirty air serially through the nozzle assembly and the supplemental cleaning tool in a first operation mode. Further the vacuum cleaner includes a second operation mode wherein the airstream is drawn directly into the supplemental cleaning tool, bypassing that nozzle assembly.

In accordance with yet another aspect, a method is provided for converting an upright vacuum cleaner between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. That method comprises a step of the drawing dirt and debris serially through the nozzle assembly, the supplemental cleaning tool and the cleaning wand of the upright vacuum cleaner in the first mode of operation. Further that method comprises drawing dirt and debris serially through the supplemental cleaning tool and the cleaning wand while bypassing the nozzle assembly in the second mode of operation. This is accomplished by switching between the first and second modes of operation without touching the supplemental cleaning tool.

That method further includes maintaining the supplemental cleaning tool on an end of the cleaning wand in both the first and second modes of operation. Further the method includes engaging an actuator on the upright vacuum cleaner to release the supplemental cleaning tool and the cleaning wand together for specialty cleaning applications in the second mode of operation.

In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the upright vacuum cleaner. As it should be realized, the upright vacuum cleaner is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the upright vacuum cleaner as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the upright vacuum cleaner and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upright vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the airstream path through the vacuum cleaner when configured in a first mode of operation.

FIGS. 3-6 are various views illustrating the airstream path through the vacuum cleaner when configured for the first mode of operation.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the upright vacuum cleaner configured for a second mode of operation with the cleaning wand and supplemental cleaning tool released for specialty cleaning applications.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram further illustrating the airstream path through the vacuum cleaner when configured for the second mode of operation.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the upright vacuum cleaner, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-6 illustrating the upright vacuum cleaner 10 when configured for a first mode of operation. As illustrated, the upright vacuum cleaner 10 includes a body having a nozzle assembly 12 and a handle assembly 14. A suction generator 16 and a dirt collection vessel 18 are carried on the body. That dirt collection vessel 18 may comprise a vacuum cleaner filter bag, a simple dirt cup or a cyclonic dirt cup as illustrated incorporating a cylindrical sidewall 20, a tangentially directed inlet 22 and an axially directed outlet 24.

In the first mode of operation, the upright vacuum cleaner 10 has an airstream path that is illustrated in FIG. 2 by action arrows A-I. More specifically, the suction generator 16 draws an airstream into the agitator cavity 26 of the nozzle assembly 12 (see action arrow A). A rotary agitator 28 in the agitator cavity 26 includes tufts or bristles that brush dirt and debris from an underlying carpet into the airstream. That dirt and debris is then entrained in the airstream which is then drawn from the agitator cavity 26 through the suction inlet 30 and a supplemental cleaning tool 32 carried on an end of the cleaning wand 34 (see action arrows B-D and note FIGS. 3-4). The airstream travels up the cleaning wand 34 and then passes through the flexible hose 36 before being delivered through the tangentially directed inlet 22 into the dirt collection vessel 18 (note action arrows E and F in FIG. 2 and note FIGS. 3 and 5). Dirt and debris are removed from the airstream and captured in the dirt collection vessel 18. The relatively clean airstream then travels through apertures 38 in the shroud 40 before passing through the axially directed outlet 24, the manifold 42 and the conduit 44 into the suction generator compartment 46. The airstream then passes over/through the motor of the suction generator 16 to provide cooling before being directed through the final filter 48 and then being exhausted into the environment (note action arrows G-I in FIG. 2 and note FIG. 6). Significantly, it should be appreciated that the airstream path passes serially through the nozzle assembly 12, the supplemental cleaning tool 30 and the cleaning wand 32 when configured for the first mode of operation which equates to normal upright vacuum cleaner operation.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrating the upright vacuum cleaner when configured for a second mode of operation. In the second mode of operation, the cleaning wand 34 and attached supplemental cleaning tool 32 are released from the canister housing 50 of the handle assembly for specialty cleaning applications. Such applications include, but are not necessarily limited to the above floor cleaning of upholstery, draperies, window sills and the tops of baseboards as well as cleaning under furniture and in tight areas where available clearance prevents using the vacuum cleaner to clean with the nozzle assembly 12. In order to release the cleaning wand 34 and supplemental cleaning tool 32 and configure the vacuum cleaner for the second mode of operation, the operator engages an actuator 52 on the upright vacuum cleaner. In the illustrated embodiment the actuator 52 comprises a sliding lever (see FIG. 4).

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, in the first mode of operation dirt and debris is drawn serially through the nozzle assembly 12, the supplemental tool 32 and the cleaning wand 34. In the second mode of operation illustrated in FIG. 8, dirt and debris is serially drawn through the supplemental cleaning tool 32 and the cleaning wand 34 while bypassing the nozzle assembly 12. Significantly, switching between the first and second modes of operation may be completed without touching the supplemental cleaning tool 32. As the cleaning tool 32 is often dirty, eliminating the need to handle the supplemental cleaning tool 32 when converting between operating modes is a significant benefit that greatly increases customer satisfaction with the vacuum cleaner 10. This is only possible by maintaining the supplemental cleaning tool 32 on the end of the cleaning wand 34 in both the first and second modes of operation.

The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the illustrated embodiment is an upright vacuum cleaner. The vacuum as claimed also includes canister vacuum cleaners wherein the nozzle assembly is not connected to the canister assembly by either a pivot or a swivel. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a body including a nozzle assembly and a handle assembly;

a suction generator carried on said body;

a dirt collection vessel carried on said body;

a cleaning wand;

a supplemental cleaning tool connected to a first end of said cleaning wand;

a hose connected to a second end of said cleaning wand; and

an airstream path passing serially through said nozzle assembly, said supplemental cleaning tool and said cleaning wand.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said airstream path passes serially through said nozzle assembly, said supplemental cleaning tool, said cleaning wand, said hose, said dirt collection vessel and said suction generator.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further including a final filter in said airstream path downstream from said suction generator.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet for feeding air to said supplemental cleaning tool.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said nozzle assembly includes an agitator cavity in fluid communication with said suction inlet.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, further including a rotary agitator in said agitator cavity.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup with a cylindrical sidewall, a tangentially directed inlet and an axially directed outlet.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein said final filter is carried on said body between said suction generator and said dirt collection vessel.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein said handle assembly includes (a) said cleaning wand, (b) a canister housing holding said suction generator and said dirt collection vessel and (c) a support housing connected to said nozzle assembly by means of a swivel.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further including a first actuator for releasing said canister housing from said support housing.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, further including a second actuator for releasing said wand assembly and said supplemental cleaning tool from said canister assembly for special cleaning applications.

12. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a nozzle assembly having a first dirty air inlet;

a supplemental cleaning tool having a second dirty air inlet;

a dirt collection vessel for separating and collecting dirt in said airstream being drawn through said vacuum cleaner; and

a suction generator for drawing dirty air serially through said nozzle assembly and said supplemental cleaning tool in a first operation mode.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, including a second operation mode wherein said airstream is drawn directly into said supplemental cleaning tool, bypassing said nozzle assembly.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said suction generator is downstream from said dirt collection vessel.

15. A method of converting an upright vacuum cleaner between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation wherein said upright vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly, a supplemental cleaning tool and a wand assembly, said method comprising:

drawing dirt and debris serially through said nozzle assembly, said supplemental cleaning tool and said cleaning wand in said first mode of operation;

drawing dirt and debris serially through said supplemental cleaning tool and said cleaning wand while bypassing said nozzle assembly in said second mode of operation; and

switching between said first and second modes of operation without touching said supplemental cleaning tool.

16. The method of claim 15, including maintaining said supplemental cleaning tool on an end of said cleaning wand in both of said first and second modes of operation.

17. The method of claim 16, including engaging an actuator on said upright vacuum cleaner to release said supplemental cleaning tool and said cleaning wand together for specialty cleaning applications in said second mode of operation.