Handle and exhaust duct coupling assemblies for floor care...

Details Handle and exhaust duct coupling assemblies for floor care... Handle and exhaust duct coupling assemblies for floor care...

2000-09-29

2002-09-03

Snider, Theresa T. (Department: 1744)

Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning

Machines

With air blast or suction

C015S377000, C285S007000, C285S092000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06442793

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to handle and exhaust duct coupling assemblies for floor care machines, such as vacuums, extractors, steam cleaners, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many contemporary floor care machines are equipped with vacuum motors or other suction-generating apparatus for drawing particulates, fluids, or other materials from a floor surface and propelling such materials into a storage receptacle. Such floor care machines include upright and canister vacuums, extractors, steam cleaners, carpet shampooers, and other similar devices.
FIG. 1
is a side elevational, partially-exploded view of a floor care machine
20
(e.g. an upright vacuum) in accordance with the prior art. As is well known, the floor care machine
20
includes a head assembly
40
that engages a floor surface
22
, and a dirt receptacle
26
for receiving and storing particulates. The head assembly
40
includes a vacuum unit
42
(not shown) that generates suction at the floor surface
22
. An exhaust duct
28
extends upwardly from the head assembly
40
. The exhaust duct
28
has a lower end
44
that is coupled to the vacuum unit
42
of the head assembly
40
, and an upper end
46
that is coupled to a mid-handle connector
48
by a coupling assembly
50
. The mid-handle connector
48
includes an exhaust outlet
29
that extends partially into the dirt receptacle
26
. A handle support
30
is rigidly coupled to the mid-handle connector
48
by one or more fasteners
52
(e.g. screws, bolt, rivets, etc.). A handle grip
32
is attached to an upper end of the handle support
30
.
In use, an operator grasps the handle grip
32
and actuates a control switch to transmit power to the vacuum unit
42
. As will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art, the vacuum unit
42
creates suction within the suction compartment
60
, drawing a particulate-laden airstream from the floor surface
12
through the intake aperture
64
. The vacuum unit
42
propels the particulate-laden airstream through the head assembly
40
, through the exhaust duct
28
, through the mid-handle connector
48
, and into the dirt receptacle
26
, where the particulates may be filtered from the particulate-laden airstream and stored for later disposal. Floor care machines of the type shown in
FIG. 1
are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,741 issued to Hampton et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,121 issued to Blackman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,276 issued to Glenn, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,930 issued to Sommer et al.
FIG. 2
is an enlarged cross-sectional, assembled view of a coupling assembly
50
of the floor care machine
10
of FIG.
1
. The coupling assembly
50
includes a collar
54
having an internal thread
56
and a partiallyconical sealing surface
58
. A corresponding external thread
60
is disposed on the mid-handle connector
48
. An “O”-ring seal
62
is positioned on the upper end
46
of the exhaust duct
28
between the collar
54
and the mid-handle connector
48
. As the collar
54
is threadedly tightened onto the mid-handle connector
48
, the sealing surface
58
presses the seal
62
into sealing engagement with the exhaust duct
28
and the mid-handle connector
48
. Coupling assemblies
50
as shown in
FIG. 2
are used, for example, in upright vacuum machines of the type generally disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,451 issued to Fish et al.
Although desirable results have been achieved using such floor care machines, it may be desirable to further optimize the performance of these devices. For example, during use, the coupling assembly
50
is subjected to vibrational forces, torsional forces applied by the operator during pushing and pulling of the handle grip
32
, and other loosening forces. After extended periods of use, the coupling assembly
50
may become loosened. As part of the maintenance of the machine, the operator may wish to check the collar
54
to prevent leakage from the exhaust duct
28
. It may be advantageous, however, to reduce the operator's maintenance responsibilities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to handle and exhaust duct coupling assemblies for floor care machines, such as vacuums, extractors, steam cleaners, and the like. In one aspect, an exhaust duct coupling assembly includes a first duct having an outer surface with an external thread disposed thereon and a locking tab projecting outwardly therefrom. A second duct is slideably engaged into the first duct, and a flexible seal is disposed about the second duct proximate an end of the first duct. A collar having a hole therethrough is disposed about the second duct and threadedly engaged with the end of the first duct. The collar presses the seal into an approximately sealing engagement against the second duct and the end of the first duct. The collar includes a locking surface frictionally engaged with the locking tab and inhibiting a disengaging movement of the collar.
Alternately, the locking surface of the duct coupling assembly may be an annular surface disposed on an inner surface of the collar, or may be disposed on an end surface of the collar. In another aspect, the collar may include a second locking surface engaged with the locking tab.
In yet another aspect, a handle coupling assembly includes a receiving member having an outer surface with an external thread disposed thereon and a plurality of bendable members projecting outwardly therefrom and at least partially surrounding a receiving space. A handle tube is disposed within the receiving space. A collar is disposed about the handle tube and threadedly engaged with the external thread. The collar bends the plurality of bendable members into engagement against the handle tube, thereby securing the handle tube into position.
Alternately, at least some of the bendable members include a retaining ridge projecting inwardly toward the receiving space, and the handle tube has a retaining groove circumferentially disposed therein, the retaining ridges projecting into the retaining groove. In a further aspect, the receiving member includes a locking tab projecting outwardly from the outer surface, and the collar includes a locking surface frictionally engaged with the locking tab and inhibiting a disengaging movement of the collar.


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