Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-12
2002-12-24
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S329000, C015S344000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06497001
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a portable hand-held vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hand-held vacuum cleaner with a powered rotary brush within a detachable head for suctioning dirt and debris from carpets, floors, and above-floor surfaces.
Portable hand-held vacuum cleaners have become extremely popular for cleaning a variety of surfaces in homes, offices, cars or the like. They are utilized typically for small clean-up jobs or for cleaning in hard-to-reach places. These portable vacuum cleaner units are relatively light weight and have a handle in order to enable a user to readily utilize them in places where canister, upright or shop-type vacuum cleaners cannot be used or are inconvenient to use.
While such prior art portable hand-held vacuum cleaners have worked well for their intended purposes, they have been primarily useful for picking up light weight dry debris, such as dust and small particulate matter. Where heavier and more dense particulate matter is encountered, they have been less effective. In fact, even where dust or other lighter particulate matter are desired to be picked up or collected, the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the prior vacuum cleaners has been less than desired.
Another limiting factor of some prior art portable vacuums is the efficiency and effectiveness of the airflow path through the vacuum cleaner units, while depositing debris in a debris canister or container.
Some prior art hand-held vacuum cleaner units do not include brushes which would help loosen dirt or debris from the surface being cleaned prior to vacuuming. Furthermore, the prior art hand-held vacuums do not have a detachable head for vacuuming in hard-to-reach places or tight places where even a hand-held vacuum cleaner cannot fit.
Other hand-held vacuums are difficult to use in that they are awkward to service. Others are expensive to produce in that they have complex reciprocating brush mechanisms.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved hand-held vacuum cleaner which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies and others while meeting the above-stated needs and providing better and more advantageous overall results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and improved hand-held vacuum cleaner. More specifically, the hand-held vacuum cleaner has a detachable head or suction nozzle which houses a powered brushroll for loosening dirt and debris from a surface to be cleaned.
According to one aspect of the invention, the hand-held vacuum cleaner comprises a housing having a first end and a second end. A suction fan and a first motor assembly are housed within the housing. A dirt container is detachably mounted on the housing second end, and a suction nozzle is selectively mounted at the housing first end. The suction nozzle is usable both in an attached position and in a detached position for cleaning.
The suction nozzle has a handle. At least one air outlet is provided in a wall of the housing for allowing air to exhaust from the housing and for venting and cooling the motor. The housing further comprises a hollow section formed above the suction fan and first motor assembly for storing a cleaning attachment. A handle is secured to a top surface of the housing.
A brushroll and a second motor are housed within the suction nozzle. An electrified hose is connected at a first end to the suction nozzle and at a second end to the housing second end. The second motor is operatively connected to the electrified hose first end and to the brushroll.
The dirt container defines a dirt and dust collecting chamber. The dirt container comprises an inlet in fluid communication with the electrified hose, and an outlet in fluid communication with the suction fan and first motor assembly. A filter assembly is releasably positioned to form a wall and outlet of the dirt container. The filter assembly comprises a filter and a filter frame. The dirt container further comprises a latching mechanism for securing the dirt container to the housing second end.
One aspect of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved hand-held vacuum cleaner.
Another aspect of the present invention is the provision of a hand-held vacuum cleaner that includes a detachable suction nozzle.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a hand-held vacuum cleaner has a detachable suction nozzle or “head” which houses a rotatable brushroll and a motor for powering the brushroll.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is the provision of a hand-held vacuum cleaner including an electrified hose for providing power to a motor located within a detachable suction nozzle.
Yet still another aspect of the present invention is the provision of the suction nozzle that is detachable from a housing of a vacuum cleaner and is usable in an attached or in a detached position.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description.
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Di Nunzio David
Farone Richard C.
Kalman Jeffrey M.
Matousek Robert A.
Murphy John S.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Moore Chris K.
Royal Appliance Mfg. Co.
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