U.S. patent application number 10/991062 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-15 for extension pipe supporting apparatus and a vacuum cleaner having the same.
Invention is credited to Park, Joung-soo.
Application Number | 20050273972 10/991062 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36711126 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050273972 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park, Joung-soo |
December 15, 2005 |
Extension pipe supporting apparatus and a vacuum cleaner having the
same
Abstract
An extension pipe supporting apparatus is pivotally attached to
a vacuum cleaner extension so as to be retractable into a storage
position. The extension pipe supporting apparatus provides an
included support for a vacuum cleaner extension pipe by which a
vacuum cleaner extension pipe can be independently supported in a
substantially upright position. The extension pipe supporting
apparatus comprises a shell member mounted to an extension pipe of
the vacuum cleaner, and a supporting member engaged with the shell
member and pivoting between a first position and a second position,
the first position in which the extension pipe is supported in a
standing posture on a floor and the second position in which the
supporting member is folded to be in contact with the extension
pipe. Accordingly, the user can keep the extension pipe in a
standing posture on a floor, and therefore, the user does not have
to bend over to pick up the extension pipe from the floor when
restarting the cleaning work.
Inventors: |
Park, Joung-soo; (Jeonju-si,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LADAS & PARRY LLP
224 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE
SUITE 1600
CHICAGO
IL
60604
US
|
Family ID: |
36711126 |
Appl. No.: |
10/991062 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/414 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/0054 20130101;
A47L 9/248 20130101; A47L 9/0009 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/414 |
International
Class: |
A47L 009/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 9, 2004 |
KR |
2004-42028 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An extension pipe supporting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner
extension pipe comprising: a shell member mounted to an extension
pipe of the vacuum cleaner; and a supporting member pivotally
engaged with the shell member and pivoting between a first position
wherein the supporting member supports the extension pipe and a
second position wherein the supporting member is folded against the
shell member.
2. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the
shell member comprises first and second shell members engaged with
each other around the extension pipe and respectively comprising a
hinge recess, and wherein, the supporting member comprises a pair
of hinge projections rotatably received in the hinge recess.
3. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 2, comprising:
a first elastic spring member coupled to the hinge projections to
elastically support the supporting member in the first position;
and a lock to lock the supporting member in the second
position.
4. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the
first elastic spring member comprises a torsion spring.
5. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the
locking unit comprises: a pair of hook members having a projection
recess and a protrusion and mounted to the left and the right
shells to move between a locked position and an unlocked position;
a second elastic spring member for elastically supporting the hook
member in the locked position; a supporting member actuating button
on the shell member to move the hook member to the unlocked
position; and a latching jaw formed on the supporting member for
engagement with the hook member in the locked position of the hook
member.
6. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 5, comprising a
pair of auxiliary supporting members mounted at an end of the
supporting member to widen a contacting surface of the supporting
member with the floor in the first position, wherein the auxiliary
supporting members are respectively provided with the latching
jaw.
7. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the
pair of auxiliary supporting members are pivotably mounted to the
supporting member by a pin with a third elastic spring member
disposed thereon so as to be folded in the locked position of the
hook member and unfolded in the unlocked position of the hook
member.
8. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a cleaner body; an extension pipe
connected to the cleaner body through a flexible hose that couples
the cleaner body to the extension pipe and which forms a suction
path; a suction brush connected to an end of the extension pipe;
and an extension pipe supporting apparatus operatively coupled to
the extension pipe, supporting the extension pipe to stand on a
floor; wherein the extension pipe comprises: a shell member mounted
to the extension pipe of the vacuum cleaner; and a supporting
member engaged with the shell member and pivoting between a first
position in which the extension pipe is supported in a standing
posture on a floor and a second position in which the supporting
member is folded to be in contact with the shell member.
9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein the shell member
comprises first and second shell members engaged with each other
around the extension pipe and respectively comprising a hinge
recess, and the supporting member comprises a pair of hinge
projections rotatably received in the hinge recess.
10. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 9, comprising:
a first elastic spring member, elastically supporting the
supporting member to the first position; and a locking unit for
locking the supporting member in the second position.
11. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 10, wherein
the first elastic spring member comprises a torsion spring.
12. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 10, wherein
the locking unit comprises: a pair of hook members having a
projection recess and a protrusion and mounted to the left and the
right shells to move between a locked position and an unlocked
position; a second elastic spring member for elastically supporting
the hook member in the locked position; a supporting member
actuating button mounted on the shell member to press the
projection recess and thereby move the hook member to the unlocked
position; and a latching jaw formed on the supporting member for
engagement with the hook member in the locked position of the hook
member.
13. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 12, comprising
a pair of auxiliary supporting members mounted at an end of the
supporting member to enlarge a contacting surface of the supporting
member with the floor in the first position, wherein the auxiliary
supporting members are respectively provided with the latching
jaw.
14. The extension pipe supporting apparatus of claim 13, wherein
the pair of auxiliary supporting members are pivotably mounted to
the supporting member by a pin with a third elastic spring member
disposed thereon so as to be folded in the locked position of the
hook member and unfolded in the unlocked position of the hook
member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2004-42028, filed Jun. 9, 2004, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to vacuum cleaners
and more particularly, to an extension pipe supporting apparatus
which supports a vacuum cleaner extension pipe to stand on a floor.
The invention also relates to a vacuum cleaner having an apparatus
to support the vacuum cleaner's extension pipe.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As is well known, vacuum cleaners clean a surface using a
vacuum generated by a motor-driven fan mounted in a vacuum cleaner
body. Prior art canister vacuums are comprised of a cleaner body or
housing that encloses a motor that provides power by which a vacuum
is generated. They also comprise a suction brush or other cleaning
tool, an extension pipe to which the suction brush or other
cleaning tool is attached, an operation handle and a flexible hose.
The flexible hose couples the extension pipe to the cleaner
body.
[0004] Most users grip the handle or the extension pipe while using
the vacuum. A problem with prior art vacuums in general, however,
and canister vacuums in particular, is that whenever a user has to
temporarily stop using the vacuum, to pick up or arrange things on
a floor for example, the user must either lay the handle and pipe
down on the floor or find something to lean the handle and pipe
against. In order to resume the cleaning work using the vacuum
cleaner, the user has to bend over to pick up the operation handle
and the extension pipe from the floor, which is an inconvenience.
Anyone who has used a vacuum knows that repeatedly bending over to
pickup the handle and extension pipe becomes tiring. Some people,
such as some elderly people, are unable to bend over. A device by
which a vacuum cleaner extension pipe can be held upright when it's
not in use would be an improvement over the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An aspect of the present invention is to solve at least the
above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the
advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present
invention is to provide an apparatus for supporting the extension
pipe of a vacuum cleaner such that a vacuum cleaner user can prop
the vacuum cleaner extension pipe on the supporting apparatus and
attend to other tasks, without having to bend over to pick up the
vacuum cleaner extension pipe off of the floor, or locate a
structure against which the handle and pip can be leaned.
[0006] In order to achieve the above-described aspects of the
present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner extension
pipe supporting apparatus comprising a shell member mounted to an
extension pipe of the vacuum cleaner and, a supporting member
connected to the shell member and pivoting from the shell member
between a first position and a second position. When the supporting
member is in its first position, the vacuum cleaner extension pipe
is supported in a standing posture on a floor. When the supporting
member is in its second position, the supporting member is folded
upwardly and out of the vacuum cleaner user's way, such that the
supporting member is in contact with either the vacuum cleaner
extension pipe or the shell member.
[0007] The extension pipe supporting apparatus comprises first and
second shell members that engage each other and wrap around the
vacuum cleaner extension pipe and engage to enclose and grip the
extension pipe's exterior surface. The first and second shell
member comprise hinge recesses. The supporting member comprises a
pair of hinge projections rotatably received in the hinge
recess.
[0008] The extension pipe supporting apparatus also comprises one
or more elastic spring members to elastically project the
supporting member into the first position. The extension pipe
supporting member also provides a lock for locking the supporting
member in the retracted, second position. In the preferred
embodiment, an elastic spring member is a torsion spring.
[0009] The locking unit comprises a pair of hook members having a
projection recess and a protrusion and mounted to the left and the
right shells to move between a locked position and an unlocked
position. A second elastic spring member elastically supports the
hook member in the locked position. A supporting member actuating
button mounted on one or both of the shell members moves the hook
member to an unlocked position. A latching jaw formed on the
supporting member engages the hook member in the locked position of
the supporting member.
[0010] Auxiliary supporting members are pivotably mounted to one
end of the supporting member by a pin with a third elastic spring
member so as to be folded in the locked position of the hook member
and unfolded in the unlocked position of the hook member.
Accordingly, when locking of the supporting member is released, the
auxiliary supporting members are spread to prevent the extension
pipe from inclining or falling down.
[0011] In order to achieve another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a cleaner body; an extension pipe connected to
the cleaner body and forming a suction path; a suction brush
connected to an end of the extension pipe; and an extension pipe
supporting apparatus for supporting the extension pipe to stand on
a floor during a cleaning work. The extension pipe comprises a
shell member mounted to an extension pipe of the vacuum cleaner;
and a supporting member connected to the shell member and pivoting
between a first position and a second position, the first position
in which the extension pipe is supported in a standing posture on a
floor and the second position in which the supporting member is
folded to be in contact with the extension pipe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0012] The above aspect and other features of the present invention
will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary
embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawing figures,
wherein;
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner provided
with an extension pipe supporting apparatus according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of
an extension pipe supporting apparatus;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the extension pipe
supporting apparatus of FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the extension pipe
supporting apparatus supporting a vacuum cleaner extension pipe;
and
[0017] FIG. 5 is a side view showing the extension pipe supporting
apparatus of FIG. 4 in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. In
the following description, drawing reference numerals are used for
the same elements in different drawings. The matters described in
the following description, such as the construction details and
elements shown in the figures, are only illustrative and should not
be construed to be limiting. Well-known functions and devices used
in vacuum cleaners are omitted for brevity since such unnecessary
detail would tend to obscure novel aspects of the invention
disclosed and claimed herein.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, a vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaner
body 10, a flexible hose 20, an operation handle 30, an extension
pipe 40, a suction brush 50 and an extension pipe supporting
apparatus 100 that enables the extension pipe 40 of the vacuum
cleaner to stand substantially upright on the floor, by itself.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the extension pipe supporting
apparatus 100 comprises a shell member 110 (FIG. 3) mounted or
attached to the extension pipe 40 and a supporting member 120 that
is hinged to the shell member 110.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the shell member 110 comprises a left
shell 111 and a right shell 112 engaged with each other to enclose
or wrap around the extension pipe 40, which is not shown in FIG. 2.
The left and the right shells 111 and 112 are connected to each
other by a plurality of bolts or screws by which the shells 111 and
112 tightly grasp the extension pipe 40. As can be seen in FIG. 2,
the shells 111 and 112 are shaped to form an opening that faces the
floor and into which the supporting member 120 can be stored when
it is a folded upward, i.e., in its "second" position. That the
supporting member 120 can be folded is enabled by a hinge formed
into the left and the right shells 111 and 112. The hingeincludes
hinge recesses 113 and 114 that are sized, shaped and arrange to
accept the first and second hinge projections 121A and 121B of the
supporting member 120.
[0022] Accordingly, the supporting member 120 comprises a first
hinge projection 121A that engages the first hinge recess 114. A
second hinge projection 121B engages the second hinge recess 113.
Accordingly, the supporting member 120 is able to pivot between a
first position in which the extension pipe 40 is supported in a
standing posture on a floor and a second position in which the
supporting member 120 is folded to contact with the extension pipe
40.
[0023] The first hinge projection 121 A has a first elastic spring
member, which in the preferred embodiment is a first a torsion
spring 116A. One end 117A of the first torsion spring 116A is
supported by an elastic spring member support 123 formed into the
supporting member 120. The second end 117B of the first torsion
spring 116A is supported by an inner wall (not shown) of the shell
member 110. The first torsion spring member 11 6A is mounted in the
first hinge recesses 114. The second hinge projection 121B has a
second torsion spring member 116B that is mounted in the second
hinge recess 113. The first and second torsion spring members 116A
and 116B, together with the first and second hinge projections 121A
and 121B, enable the supporting member 120 to pivot from the second
or "up" position to the first or "down" position. Depending on how
the torsion springs are installed, the first and second elastic
spring members 116A and 116B can act to urge the supporting member
120 downwardly to its first position where the supporting member
120 acts to support the extension pipe, or the elastic spring
members 116A and 116B can act to lift or raise the supporting
member 120 upwardly to its second position where the supporting
member 120 is locked up and kept out of the way of the user by a
locking unit 200. In other words, depending on the installation of
the elastic spring members 116A and 116B, they can act to urge the
supporting member 120 in a direction indicated by an arrow of FIG.
4 when the locking unit 200 is released.
[0024] The locking unit 200 comprises a supporting member actuating
button 210, a hook member 220, a second elastic spring member 225,
and a latching jaw 231. The locking unit 200 is mounted at an
outside of the shell member 110, relatively close to the cleaning
brush or other working tool attached to the extension pipe 40.
[0025] The supporting member actuating button 210 is received in a
button seat 118 formed by assembling the left and the right shells
111 and 112 together. A restricting rib 211 is formed on an outer
periphery of the supporting member actuating button 210, and a
pressing projection 212 for depressing the hook member 220
projectsfrom the button's bottom to face the hook members 221 and
222.
[0026] The button seat 118 protrudes from an upper surface of the
left and the right shells 111 and 112, such that a user can easily
find and press the supporting member actuating button 210 from the
"top" of the extension tube.
[0027] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the button seating portion 118
comprises a rib groove 119 corresponding to the restricting rib 211
in the button 210. The rib groove 119 has a predetermined height so
that the supporting member actuating button 210 can slide in the
supporting member actuating button seating portion 118 between
first and second positions. Accordingly, the rib groove 119
receives the restricting rib 211, thereby preventing separation of
the supporting member actuating button 210.
[0028] The hook member 220 holds the supporting member 120 up and
out of the way. It is mounted in the left and the right shells 111
and 112 so that it's able to move in response to the supporting
member actuating button 210. As shown in FIG. 2, the hook member
220 comprises a first hook member 221 pivotally hinged at the left
shell 111 and a second hook member 222 pivotally hinged at the
right shell 112.
[0029] The first and the second hook members 221 and 222 each have
a a hinge projection 223 that slidably engages a hinge guide groove
117. A hinge guide groove 117 is formed on both the left and the
right shells 111 and 112. When installed in the hinge guide grooves
117, the first and the second hook members 221 and 222 can pivot
about the hinge projections 223 and are mounted into a hook
receiving part 115 formed into the left and the right shells 111
and 112, respectively.
[0030] At the upper end of the first and the second hook members
221 and 222, second elastic spring members 225, embodied as coil
springs, are mounted in the button seat 118 and below the upper end
of the first and second hook members to elastically urge the first
and the second hook members 221 and 222 to a locked position.
[0031] A protrusion 227 is formed at the lower or bottom end of the
first and the second hook members 221 and 222 that engages the
latching jaw 231 provided on an auxiliary supporting member 230
that is attached to the supporting member 120, thereby locking the
supporting member 120 in its second position in which the
supporting member 120 is not in use.
[0032] The first and the second hook members 221 and 222 have a
pressing projection recess 229 corresponding to the pressing
projection 212 and which receives the pressing projection 229. The
pressing projection recess 229 enables the pressing projection 212
and the hook member 220 to smoothly move in association with each
other in response to the actuation of the button 210.
[0033] An auxiliary supporting member 230 is integrally formed with
the latching jaw 231 engaged with the protrusion 227 and pivotably
connected to the supporting member 120 by a pin 235. A third
elastic spring member 237 is disposed on the pin 235, together with
the auxiliary supporting member 230. The third elastic spring
member 237 is in an initial position where the auxiliary supporting
member 230 is unfolded at the maximum degrees. Therefore, when the
engagement between the auxiliary supporting member 230 and the hook
member 220 is released, the third elastic spring member 237 returns
to the initial position by an elastic recovering force.
[0034] Hereinafter, the operation of the extension pipe supporting
apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0035] To clean a floor, the user generally grips the operation
handle 30 by one hand and the extension pipe 40 by the other hand.
During the cleaning work, the user may stop using the vacuum
cleaner, for example, to pick up or arrange things on the floor. By
use of the extension pipe supporting apparatus 100, the user can
keep the extension pipe 40 standing on the floor, as shown in FIG.
5.
[0036] When the user presses the supporting member actuating button
210 in the arrowed direction in FIG. 3, the supporting member
actuating button 210 depresses the hook member 220. As a result,
the hook member 220 pivots around the hinge projections 223 in the
arrowed direction of FIG. 3. As a result, the engagement of the
latching jaw 231 by the protrusion 227 on the hook members 220 is
released, thereby unlocking the supporting member 120 and allowing
the supporting member 120 to pivot downwardly, around the hinge
projections 121A and 121B in the recesses 113 and 114.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, the supporting member 120 pivots to the
first position in which the supporting member 120 is opened
downwardly toward the floor, by a repulsive force of the first
elastic spring members 116A and 116B that are received in the hinge
recesses 113 and 114 together with the hinge projection 121. The
auxiliary supporting member 230 is also opened to its maximum
degree by a force of the third elastic spring member 237 connected
with the pin 235. Accordingly, the supporting member 120 supports
the extension pipe 40 substantially upright with respect to the
floor, and the auxiliary supporting member 230 prevents the
supporting member 120 from inclining or falling down.
[0038] When the user resumes the cleaning work, the supporting
member 120 is pivoted upwardly to the second position, thereby
being folded to tightly contact with the shell member 110. The
first and the second hook members 221 and 222 slide along a surface
of the auxiliary supporting member 230 and transversely widen as if
the supporting member actuating button 210 is pressed. In an
alternate embodiment, the extension pipe supporting member 120
contacts the extension pipe 40. The auxiliary supporting member 230
pivots in contact with the first and the second hook members 221
and 222, so that the latching jaw 231 is engaged with the
protrusion 227. Therefore, when the auxiliary supporting member 230
is pivoted to the second position, the latching jaw 231 is engaged
with the protrusion 227 formed on the first and the second hook
members 221 and 222, thereby locking the supporting member 120 in
the second position. Accordingly, the user can resume the cleaning
work with the supporting member 120 folded in contact with the
extension pipe 40.
[0039] As can be appreciated from the above descriptions the user
can keep the extension pipe 40 standing on the floor in the middle
of the cleaning work and reuse the extension pipe 40 without having
to bending over to pick up the extension pipe 40 or the operation
handle 30 from the floor.
[0040] While the invention has been shown and described with
reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by
those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details
may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *