Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Patent
1995-11-28
1996-12-31
Moore, Chris K.
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
15352, A47L 536
Patent
active
055881777
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a backpack vacuum cleaner comprising a housing enclosing a motor and an impeller to provide the suction effect and with a compartment for a filter bag, a connection branch for a suction hose, a hip strap to be applied around the hips of the bearer and a pair of shoulder straps.
Portable vacuum cleaners adapted to be carried on the back of the operator are well known, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 1,099,560, in which a vacuum cleaner with two shoulder straps is disclosed. It has also been suggested to fasten a traditional household vacuum cleaner on wheels or runners to a frame belonging to a rucksack. Such frames often in addition to the shoulder straps comprise a hip strap holding the frame in a position close to the back of the operator. Other examples of portable vacuum cleaners to be carried on the back of the operator and in which the weight of the device is transferred mainly to the shoulders of the operator by a pair of straps are disclosed in FR-A-1 451 167 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,162.
These devices comprising a rigid frame to which the vacuum cleaner is connected as a unit have proven to restrict the operator in his freedom of movement, for example to impede his ability to bend forward or twist his body. This is uncomfortable if the operator is to clean for example the seats in a bus, in a cinema or in an aeroplane. To eliminate this drawback portable vacuum cleaners carried solely by means of a hip strap have been proposed, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 1,255,622. A drawback of this known device is that the weight of the motor, which is the heaviest component of the device, is not placed symmetrically with respect to the back of the operator, and the collecting bag is suspended freely from the outlet of the fan house. The depending dust bag will restrict the freedom of movement of the operator in narrow passages, for example between the rows of seats in a bus.
The object of the invention is to provide a portable vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned by way of introduction and which provides an improved comfort to the operator carrying the vacuum cleaner enabling him to use it for extended periods. It is also an object of the invention to provide a high degree of freedom of movement for the operator so that the vacuum cleaner will not substantially restrict the operator from bending forward or to the sides, from twisting his body or lifting one of his arms.
This object is met according to the invention in that the backpack vacuum cleaner is characteristic in that the housing is divided in two, the two parts being connected with a flexible connection allowing a tilting movement between the two parts, in that the hip strap is fastened to the lower part and in that the shoulder straps are mutually interconnected with an equalizing device for equalizing differences in tension between the two straps.
The two-part housing allows the bearer to band forwards and sideways, because the housing can give way in the flexible connection. The major part of the weight of the vacuum cleaner may be carried by the hip strap which is connected with the lower part of the housing, which provides for a comfortable weight distribution enabling the operator to use the vacuum cleaner for extended periods. The upper part of the housing rests, through the flexible connection, on the lower part and in practice only has to be prevented from tilting backwards by the shoulder straps which on account of the equalizing device allow a practically unhindered movement of the bearer's shoulders. The equalizing device thus makes it possible for the bearer to freely lift one shoulder or stretch out an arm and at the same time to twist his body.
In view of the freedom of movement of the bearer it is according to the invention further advantageous that the upper part of the housing holds the filter bag, that the lower part holds the motor, impellers for conveying air through the vacuum cleaner, and means for power supply comprising one or more of the following parts: batteries, battery charger, a couplin
REFERENCES:
patent: 1047164 (1912-12-01), Butenschoen
patent: 1099560 (1914-06-01), Matchette
patent: 1255662 (1918-02-01), Sullivan
patent: 3308608 (1967-03-01), Brimberg
patent: 4223419 (1980-09-01), Sato et al.
patent: 4325162 (1982-04-01), Chambers et al.
patent: 4748712 (1988-06-01), DiGiovanni
patent: 4944065 (1990-07-01), Svanberg et al.
patent: 5267371 (1993-12-01), Soler et al.
LandOfFree
Backpack vacuum cleaner does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Backpack vacuum cleaner, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Backpack vacuum cleaner will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1133457