Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2001-07-10
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S410000, C055S429000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256834
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner comprising a housing, which accommodates a suction unit, and a dust container which is detachably coupled to the housing and in which a dust filter can be placed, which dust container is provided with an opening for placing the dust filter and, on an outside with a handle.
The invention also relates to a dust container which can suitably be used in a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention.
A vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph is known from DE-OS-2 226 724. The known vacuum cleaner is a so-called canister-type vacuum cleaner the housing of which is provided with a number of wheels allowing the housing to be moved over a floor surface. The dust container of the known vacuum cleaner can be placed in a holder forming part of the housing. When the dust container is placed in the holder, a lower part of the dust container is recessed in the holder while an upper part of the dust container smoothly engages the housing. In this case, the handle of the dust container is situated at an upper side of the dust container while the opening of the dust container is situated in a side wall thereof facing the suction unit. The dust filter which can be placed in the dust container is a dust bag. To replace a dust bag present in the dust container, a user has to remove the dust container from the holder by means of the handle, so that the opening is exposed, the dust bag can be removed and a new dust bag can be placed in the dust container. Finally, the user has to place the dust container back in the holder. The user may, for example, carry the dust container holding the dust bag to a rubbish bin where the user can remove the dust bag from the dust container. In this manner, the dust bag is replaced in a hygienic manner.
A drawback of the known vacuum cleaner is that during removing the dust container from the holder, dust may drop from the dust bag via the opening formed in said side all of the dust container, or the dust bag may partly, or even completely, fall out of the dust container. To preclude this, during removing the dust container from the holder, the user should rotate said dust container through an angle of approximately 90° to a position where the opening faces upwards. As a result, the ease of use of the known vacuum cleaner is adversely affected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph, in which the above-mentioned drawback of the known vacuum cleaner is precluded.
To achieve this, the vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the handle is provided on a side wall of the dust container, and the opening is situated at an upper side of the dust container, said upper side of the dust container facing an upper side of the housing when the vacuum cleaner is in an operating position. As a result of the fact that, in the operating position of the vacuum cleaner, the upper side of the dust container faces the upper side of the housing, the dust container already is in a position where the opening faces upwards when the vacuum cleaner is in the operating position. As a result, when the user removes the dust container from the housing, it is not necessary to rotate the dust container through a relatively large angle to preclude dust from falling out of the dust filter or the dust filter from falling out of the dust container. As a result, the ease of use of the vacuum cleaner is increased. The user may carry the dust container to a rubbish bin where the dust filter can be removed from the dust container by turning the dust container upside down. As a result of the fact that the handle is arranged on a side wall of the dust container, the ease of use of the vacuum cleaner is further increased.
It is noted that the expression “dust filter” does not only include a dust bag which can be used only once, like the dust bag used in the vacuum cleaner described in DE-OS-2 226 724, but also, for example, bag-shaped, cleanable dust filters which are made of an air-permeable material and which are intended for re-use after they have been emptied. Such a re-usable dust filter may be made of a flexible material, but also of a relatively rigid material or a rigid synthetic resin.
A particular embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the opening can be closed by means of a cover which is pivoted to the housing. As a result, a practical fitting of the cover is obtained, while the ease of use of the vacuum cleaner is further increased.
A further embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the cover is provided with a connection member to which a suction hose can be coupled, via which hose a suction accessory can be connected to the dust container and the suction unit. As a result, a practical connection of the suction hose to the dust container and the suction unit is obtained. As the cover is pivotably connected to the housing, the suction hose does not have to be uncoupled from the connection member when the dust filter is being replaced, so that the ease of use of the vacuum cleaner is further increased.
Yet another embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the handle is a unique handle for the housing. When the dust container is coupled to the housing, the handle of the dust container also forms a unique handle for the housing. As a result, the housing has a practical and simple construction.
A particular embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the dust container can be coupled to the housing by means of a first coupling member, which is provided near a lower side of the handle to co-operate with the housing, and a second coupling member which is arranged near an upper side of the handle to co-operate with the cover. Since said coupling members are provided near the handle, the dust container can be readily coupled to the housing. Such a position of the coupling members near the handle is particularly advantageous when the handle also forms a unique handle for the housing. In this case, a relatively short force-transmission path is obtained between the handle and the housing, so that the dust container is also stably coupled to the housing when the user carries the housing by means of the handle of the dust container.
A further embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the first coupling member has a cam for co-operating with a cam holder of the housing, which cam holder corresponds with said cam. As a result, a very rigid and stable coupling of the dust container to the housing is obtained.
Yet another embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the second coupling member comprises a blocking member which can be displaced by means of an operating member from a first position, wherein the blocking member blocks the cover with respect to the dust container, to a second position wherein the blocking member releases the cover. By using the blocking member and the operating member, the user can detach the dust container from the housing in a simple and practical manner by moving the blocking member from its first position to its second position by means of the operating member.
A particular embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the operating member is arranged in an upper side of the handle. As a result, the operating member is in a practical position enabling the user to grip the handle and operate the operating member with one hand. By virtue thereof, the ease of use of the vacuum cleaner is further increased.
A further embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the second coupling member includes a safety member which locks the blocking member in its first position if the housing is not in the operating po
Dorgelo Jan
Kip Albart J.
Kodden Hans
Meijer Natalie
Uil Henk
Bartlett Ernestine C.
Moore Chris K.
U.S. Philips Corporation
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