Top And Bottom Reversible Type Patents (Class 15/417)
  • Patent number: 9655487
    Abstract: A nozzle for a vacuum cleaner, including a suction part having a suction port and a main brush; and at least one movable member movably installed in the suction port and having a subsidiary brush. The at least one movable member may include a first and a second movable member provided at either side of the suction part, allowing a suction area of the nozzle to be selectively expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seongjun Kim, Jinwoo Lee, Seogyong Kim
  • Patent number: 8539635
    Abstract: A portable vacuum wand for use with a surface maintenance machine, for collection of debris remote from the machine. The vacuum wand is detachable from a rear squeegee assembly of the surface maintenance machine, and includes a handle and a wand head. A vacuum conduit of the vacuum wand is adapted to be coupled to the rear squeegee assembly when not in use so as to provide vacuum to the rear squeegee assembly. A method of cleaning a floor surface with a surface maintenance machine and a portable vacuum wand is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: Kevin L. Shinler, John C. Ickes, Matthew Betteker, Bruce M. Becker
  • Patent number: 8402602
    Abstract: An accessory unit of a vacuum cleaner, alone, with a vacuum cleaner conduit, and with a vacuum cleaner. The accessory unit has a housing, a first tool end, and a second tool end for releasable connection to a vacuum cleaner conduit. The first tool end has a first nozzle for vacuum cleaning, and the second tool end has two pivotable arms for forming second and third nozzles. Each arm has distal and proximal ends. The distal ends are arranged to be brought together for forming the second nozzle, and to be spread apart for forming the third nozzle. Furthermore, the arms are folded together to bring the distal arm ends in vicinity of each other for releasable connection of the second tool end to the vacuum cleaner conduit by at least partial insertion into said vacuum cleaner conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: AB Electrolux
    Inventors: Stefan Jonsson, Esbjörn Svantesson, Andreas Pohl, Tommy Lindquist
  • Patent number: 7150069
    Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly 5 including: a base member 6; a movable member 7 inversely rotatably attached to the base member 6 and having one surface formed with a suction opening 20; and a covering member 8 movably attached to the base member 6. Holding members 22 for holding a cleaning sheet 21 are formed on the other surface of the movable member 7. When the one surface of the movable member 7 faces a floor surface and the other surface thereof is covered by the covering member 8, the electric vacuum cleaner can pick up filth through the suction opening 20. When the movable member 7 is rotated inversely so that the cleaning sheet 21 faces the floor surface, the electric vacuum cleaner can catch the filth by the cleaning sheet 21 and pick up the relatively large filth via a communicating path 34 formed in between the movable member 7 and the covering member 8, and the suction opening 20 connected to the communicating path 34.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Twinbird Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Hori, Mineyuki Inoue, Toshiaki Ogawa, Takeshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 6991262
    Abstract: The Pivotal Nozzle Body disclosed comprises an upper housing 50, and lower housing 30 which are pivotally connected to each other and can swivel with respect to each other about a pivot axis 40. Upper housing 50 and lower housing 30 have a first tool end 55 and a second tool end 34, respectfully. Both first and second tool ends are designed for mounting vacuum tools. Both first and second tool ends are designed to accept a hose wand for communicating suction air to the opposite side of the pivotal nozzle body. Whereby, both the vacuum tools may remain attached to the Pivotal Nozzle Body while hose wand 20 is alternated between the hose ports on the upper and lower housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Inventor: Gary Dean Ragner
  • Publication number: 20020170140
    Abstract: This invention relates to a set of related new and useful vacuum cleaner adapters and accessories, designed for vacuum cleaning areas that are high clearance, low clearance, narrow clearance, or surfaces with special cleaning needs. The various embodiments disclosed may be fit onto the terminal end of a standard hose fitting of a vacuum cleaner, and used to clean heretofore inaccessible areas. There is also an associated flashlight assembly disclosed herein that may be affixed to the other adapters disclosed, or may be affixed to a vacuum cleaner hose or a portion of the hose fitting. The flashlight assembly may be used to provide illumination to the otherwise non-illuminated area being cleaned with an adapter, and may also be useful for vacuum cleaners that do not have lights incorporated therein such as the canister variety of vacuum cleaners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Jamie Diaz, Robert Nathan Schlesinger
  • Patent number: 6401296
    Abstract: A removable suction nozzle inlet adapter is taught for converting the suction inlet of a vacuuming nozzle from a straight line inlet to one having either a convex or concave suction inlet whereby curved carpet and/or upholstery surfaces may be vacuumed. The adapters are particularly useful for use with hand held hot water extractor nozzles upon the curved carpet surface between the step and risers of carpeted stairs and/or the curved carpet transition from the riser to the horizontal step. Further, the invention described and taught may be used to vacuum curved upholstery or carpet surfaces found in the typical household and/or automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: The Hoover Company
    Inventors: Darwin T. McKnight, John D. Essex, Kenneth L. Symensma
  • Patent number: 5970577
    Abstract: A brush head assembly for a vacuum cleaner having an improved structure. The brush head assembly has a brush head body having a triangle structure including a vertical plane to which an upholstery brush is attached, a lower plane horizontally which is formed at a lower portion of the vertical plane and having a dusting brush attached thereunder, and an inclined plane which is formed between the vertical plane and the lower plane, has a connecting pipe integrally formed on the inclined plane of the brush head body and extending upward at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the inclined plane, and a neck pipe having a front end portion having a hemisphere shape which is inserted into the connecting pipe, a rear end portion which is inserted into an extension bar, and an inlet hole which is formed below the hemisphere shaped front end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Suk-Gu Kim
  • Patent number: 5502870
    Abstract: A multi-function vacuum cleaner nozzle for attachment to the end of a vacuum cleaner hose. The device comprises a housing body (40), a dust brush (44), and two pivotal cleaning arms (6). Housing (40) has three ports (50), (52), and (54) extending therethrough, with port (50) and port (52) being adapted to receive a suction conduit (4). Port (52) is fitted with dust brush (44) which snaps into a recess (42) encircling said housing. Insertion of the conduit into port (52) selects the arms to receive suction air and substantially doses off port (50). Arms (6) are attached on the end of port (54) which is opposite port (52). Friction ridges (28) and (74) interact with each other, allowing several stable positions for arms (6). This makes the arms adjustable between upholstery, crevice, edge and corner tool positions. Insertion of said conduit into port (50) selects said dust brush to receive suction air and substantially closes off port (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Inventors: Gary D. Ragner, Robert de Rochmont, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5060342
    Abstract: A cleaning head adapted for use on hard surfaces comprises a body (10) formed as two back-to-back housings (20) and (30) which are swivellably mounted on a suction tube (40). Housing (20) contains a liquid applicator assembly (21) which comprises a body (22) of porous material with a facing layer of pile fabric (23). A cleaning liquid is delivered through ducts (46) and (48) to the body 22 so as to spread uniformly across the pile fabric (23). A suction slot (29) adjacent to the applicator assembly (21) may be provided to pick up dry dirt. The housing (30) includes a liquid pick-up assembly (31) comprising a slot (32) between a pair of flexible blades (33a,33b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Vax Appliances Limited
    Inventor: Alan J. Brazier
  • Patent number: 5046218
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner nozzle assembly which integrates various nozzle styles into one compact, lightweight unit, thus ameliorating problems associated with their storage and use. Tool selection entails orienting valve components so as to direct air flow through the chosen nozzle only, while the others remain folded out of the way. The arrangement, if used in conjunction with a telescoping wand, will obviate the need for removing/replacing nozzles or wand extensions in the great majority of cleaning situations, supersede separate tool storage, and thus ease and simplify vacuum cleaner use. If space restrictions require, as when cleaning a confined area, the integrated assembly of a preferred embodiment can be removed from the wand, and the brush or crevice tool removed from the assembly and placed on the wand, in the conventional manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Inventor: David D. Cerri
  • Patent number: 5008973
    Abstract: A multi-purpose suction nozzle, for a vacuum cleaner, for cleaning different types of surfaces, such as hard smooth surfaces, textile floor coverings, and upholstery, whereby the suction nozzle is detachably connected to a suction hose of the vacuum cleaner via a pivotably mounted connector. The suction nozzle has a housing with a first suction opening that communicates with a first flow channel, and with a second suction opening about which are provided planar slide surfaces and which communicates with a second flow channel. A brush is rotatably mounted in the housing in such a way that bristles of the brush extend through the first suction opening. A mechanism provides for selective communication of either the first flow channel or the second flow channel with the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Dupro AG
    Inventor: Peter Worwag
  • Patent number: 4993108
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has a nozzle with an opening and a vacuum pump connected to draw dirt laden air into the opening from exteriorly of said vacuum cleaner. A shield is movably mounted to the vacuum cleaner to have a first position at which a first part of the opening is blocked from passing air and a second position at which a second part of the opening is blocked from passing air. The first part of the opening may be downwardly directed and the second part may be forwardly directed. The shield may be pivotally mounted to the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Genge, Marco Ferrari, Scott Bolbock
  • Patent number: 4897894
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner nozzle comprises a body (10) having a suction passageway (11) extending therethrough, both ends of said passageway being adapted to receive a suction conduit (20). One end of the suction passageway is surrounded by a dust-brush (12) and two rotatable wing members (13) are provided at the other end. Each of the wing members comprises a resilient means (15) provided with a fiber picking material (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventor: Stefan M. Fahlen
  • Patent number: 4893375
    Abstract: A portable floor scrubbing machine, which preferably is battery-powered, may operate in two distinct modes: either as a walk-behind floor scrubber or as a manually-operated, scrub-and-recover system using a floor wand having a cleaning solution dispenser and convertible brush/squeegee at the working end of the wand for use in locations with difficult access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignees: Hako Minuteman, Inc., Restaurant Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Girman, Gary E. Palmer, Gust G. Gotsis
  • Patent number: 4688294
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner nozzle comprises a housing (10) having first and second air inlets (13,15) adapted to different cleaning duties. Each of the inlets is connected to a respective outlet (17,19) via a separate duct (16,18). The outlets are arranged on different sides of the housing and are separated by a partition (20) to form two independent sockets for a tube handle connected to a vacuum source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventor: Sven B. Simonsson
  • Patent number: 4397060
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner tool is removably mounted on the elongated wand of a conventional vacuum cleaner. The tool includes a head or main housing having a forwardly-disposed brush enclosure portion with a lower planar opening formed therein. A brush is rotatably journaled in the brush enclosure portion of the housing and protrudes below the opening therein. An air turbine is rotatably journaled in the housing and is drivingly connected to the brush. The axis of the housing is coincident with the axis of the wand, and both are arranged at 45 degrees with respect to the planar opening for the brush. In one position, the planar opening is in a horizontal plane. The mounting means between the housing and the wand includes a swivel member. This swivel member enables the housing to be rotated 180 degrees with respect to the wand. When so rotated, the planar opening for the brush is in a vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Danny R. Jinkins, William R. Lessig, III, Timothy J. Canatella