Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-11-20
Till, Terrence R. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S352000, C015S335000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317920
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners. More particularly, the present invention relates to an easily used and easily stored lightweight upright vacuum cleaner with an above-floor cleaning tool for suctioning dirt and debris from carpets, floors and above-floor surfaces.
Upright vacuum cleaners are continually being improved and enhanced with larger, more powerful motors and with an assortment of cleaning accessories and attachments. As upright cleaners are enhanced in this manner, they correspondingly increase in size and weight. The height and the footprint of the nozzle base portion of the cleaner have become larger to accommodate the more powerful motors and, perhaps, some accessories. These enhanced upright cleaners are too heavy and occupy too much storage space to be owned by people dwelling in small apartments, trailers, dormitories, and similar locations with limited storage area. Their size also makes cleaning under beds and other furniture difficult. The handle of many such cleaners is connected to the top of the nozzle base, which undesirably increases the overall height of the nozzle base when the handle is reclined for cleaning under beds and the like. Often, the location of the filter bag and the design of the hinge interconnecting the handle portion to the nozzle base portion prevents the handle from being pivoted downward sufficiently far to approach the surface being cleaned as is required for cleaning under furniture. Furthermore, known upright cleaners are too heavy and do not provide an effective means for hanging storage. Rather, they must be stored on the floor of a closet or in the corner of a room.
Upright vacuum cleaners generally utilize large filter bags to capture the dirt and dust liberated from the subjacent surface being cleaned. These bags are either housed in or connected to the upper handle portion of the cleaner. When full, these bags must be disconnected from the cleaner, disposed of, and replaced. The operator of the cleaner must purchase replacement bags regularly. Furthermore, the bag changing operation is time consuming, and some people object to utilizing disposable filter bags. In addition to the space occupied by the filter bag and its cloth or plastic housing, as these bags fill with dirt, the upper portion of the cleaner becomes quite heavy making the vacuum cleaner unbalanced.
Another drawback associated with known upright vacuum cleaners is their lack of an easy to use and effective power cord storage mechanism. Some upright cleaners utilize a mechanism that retracts the power cord into the upper handle portion of the cleaner. Others utilize a pair of spaced hooks connected to the handle around which the cord is wound. The provision of a retractable cord adds complexity, weight, and expense to the vacuum cleaner. The spaced hooks are inconvenient, require the operator to bend over each time the cord is wound around or unwound from the hooks, and do not provide a mechanism for quick and secure short-term storage of the cord. The cord must either be loosely draped over the handle where it is insecure and becomes tangled, or the cord must be completely wrapped around the hooks each time one desires to store the cord.
While certain upright cleaners have been designed in an effort to overcome some of the foregoing deficiencies, they have not been successful. One known cleaner utilizes a dust cup in the nozzle base portion to collect dirt and dust in place of the filter bag. However, the dust cup is difficult to remove from the cleaner. In order to empty the contents of the dust cup, the operator must grasp the filter assembly with two hands. This can result in the spillage of the contents of the dust cup when it becomes separated from the filter assembly.
It would also be desirable to have a lightweight upright vacuum cleaner with an above-floor cleaning tool which is easily removed from and used with the vacuum cleaner.
It would also be desirable to have a lightweight upright vacuum cleaner with a handle which can also be used as a handle for an above-floor cleaning tool and an elongated connecting portion which can serve as a wand extension for the above-floor cleaning tool.
It would also be desirable to have a lightweight upright vacuum cleaner in which the rotation of the brushroll can be stopped for bare floor cleaning and in which communication between the floor nozzle of the vacuum cleaner and the removable dust container can be blocked when the vacuum cleaner is used for above-floor cleaning or corner cleaning.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved upright 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 upright vacuum cleaner.
More specifically, the upright vacuum cleaner is used with an above-floor cleaning tool for cleaning carpets, floors and above-floor surfaces. Various cleaning tools can be attached to the handle of the vacuum cleaner for above-floor cleaning.
The vacuum cleaner is comprised of a nozzle base comprising a primary suction opening and a secondary suction opening formed therein, a suction source positioned within a first cavity defined in the nozzle base, and a dust cup assembly releasably positioned in a second cavity defined in the nozzle base which forms a dirt and dust collecting chamber.
The dust cup assembly comprises a first inlet which is in fluid communication with the primary suction opening, an outlet which is in fluid communication with the suction source, and a second inlet which is in fluid communication with the secondary suction opening and with an above-floor cleaning tool. A sealing gasket is positioned adjacent the second suction opening.
A filter assembly is releasably positioned adjacent the outlet of the dust cup assembly. The filter assembly comprises a first filter and a filter frame.
A cover is releasably attached to the filter frame and forms a rear wall of the dust cup assembly. The cover comprises an inlet conduit and an outlet opening. The inlet conduit is connected to the second inlet. The cover further comprises a handle.
A second filter is positioned between the suction source and the first filter to prevent a flow of dirt and dust from the dirt and dust collecting chamber to the suction source. An exhaust opening is positioned downstream of the suction source and an exhaust filter is located adjacent the exhaust opening to prevent particles that enter the suction source from venting to atmosphere.
The vacuum cleaner further comprises a handle assembly comprising an elongated portion removably attached to the nozzle base at a first end of the elongated portion, and a handle removably attached to a second end of the elongated portion.
The handle is removed from the elongated portion for use as an above-floor tool handle. A hose is removably attached to the handle at a hose first end and is removably attached to the nozzle base at a hose second end. At least one clip secures the hose to the elongated portion.
A tool caddy is mounted onto the elongated handle portion and houses at least one above-floor cleaning tool. The above-floor cleaning tool is removably attached to the handle first end. The elongated handle portion can be removed from the nozzle base for use as a wand for an above-floor cleaning tool.
One advantage of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved vacuum cleaner.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuum cleaner that eliminates the need for filter bags.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuum cleaner having a low profile nozzle base so that it can fit beneath furniture for effective cleaning.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a lightweight upright vacuum cleaner that can be hung for storage.
A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuu
Brickner David M.
Murphy John S.
Wright Michael F.
Yokote Kyoshi
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Royal Appliance Mfg. Co.
Till Terrence R.
LandOfFree
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