U.S. patent application number 11/266165 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-03 for cleaning apparatus with removable handle.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Scott Fetzer Company. Invention is credited to Diane L. Dodson, David Scott Smith, Daniel L. Steele, Terry L. Zahuranec.
Application Number | 20070094839 11/266165 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37682680 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070094839 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zahuranec; Terry L. ; et
al. |
May 3, 2007 |
Cleaning apparatus with removable handle
Abstract
A cleaning apparatus includes a base, a cleaning head and a
handle. The cleaning head is configured to be attached to the base
and moved against a household surface to clean the surface. The
handle is configured to be removably attached to the base for
manually moving the base by the handle. The handle has an
electronic user interface with which a user can control or monitor
operation of the base.
Inventors: |
Zahuranec; Terry L.; (North
Olmsted, OH) ; Smith; David Scott; (Avon Lake,
OH) ; Steele; Daniel L.; (Concord, OH) ;
Dodson; Diane L.; (Sagamore Hills, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATENT GROUP 2N;JONES DAY
NORTH POINT
901 LAKESIDE AVENUE
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
US
|
Assignee: |
The Scott Fetzer Company
|
Family ID: |
37682680 |
Appl. No.: |
11/266165 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/328 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 5/30 20130101; A47L
9/14 20130101; A47L 9/2863 20130101; A47L 5/28 20130101; A47L 5/32
20130101; A47L 9/2842 20130101; A47L 9/322 20130101; A47L 9/2857
20130101; A47L 9/325 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/328 |
International
Class: |
A47L 9/00 20060101
A47L009/00 |
Claims
1. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a base; a cleaning head
configured to be attached to the base and moved against a household
surface to clean the surface; a handle configured to be removably
attached to the base for manually moving the base by the handle,
and having an electronic user interface with which a user can
control or monitor operation of the base; a power cord configured
to conduct electricity to the base even when the handle is
removed.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user interface is a control
for the user to control an operating condition of the base.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user interface is a display
for displaying an operating condition of the base.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base is free of an
electronic user interface.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning head is a
vacuuming head, and the base includes a fan for moving dirt laden
air through the head into a dirt receptacle.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the handle is configured to
output a signal to the base indicating to the base which type of
handle it is.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a different handle
configured to be removably attached to the base for manually moving
the base and having an electronic user interface with which the
user can control or monitor operation of the base.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the base is configured to sense
which of the handles is attached and control an operating condition
of the apparatus based on which of the handles is attached.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base and the handle have
respective terminals that are interconnectable and through which
the user interface communicates with the base, the terminal of the
handle being configured to be moved toward and into connection with
the terminal of the base by movement of the handle toward and into
an installed position removably attached to the handle.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the handle is configured to
hook onto the base and pivot into an installed position removably
attached to the base.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base includes a pivotable
bracket that connects the handle to the base and that has a
terminal configured to mate with a terminal on the handle, for the
interface to communicate with the base through the terminals.
12. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a base; a cleaning attachment
configured to be attached to the base and moved against a household
surface to clean the surface; and a handle removably attachable to
the base for manually moving the base by the handle; the base being
configured to operatively sense whether the handle is attached to
the base and to control an operating condition of the apparatus
based on whether the handle is attached.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the base has a drive assist
capability, and the operating condition is activation of the drive
assist capability.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a different handle
removably attachable to the base for manually moving the base, and
wherein the base is configured to sense which of the handles is
attached and control an operating of the apparatus based on which
of the handles is attached.
15. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a base; a cleaning attachment
configured to be attached to the base and moved against a household
surface to clean the surface; and different handles removably
attachable to the base for manually moving the base by the handle;
the base being configured to sense which of the handles is attached
and control an operating condition of the apparatus based on which
of the handles is attached.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the base has a drive assist
capability, and the operating condition is activation of the drive
assist capability.
17. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a base; a cleaning attachment
configured to be attached to the base and moved against a household
surface to clean the surface; and different handles removably
attachable to the base for manually moving the base by the handle,
each handle configured to output an electrical signal to the base
when the handle is attached to the base indicating to the base
which handle is attached.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the base is configured to
receive the signal and control an operating condition of the
apparatus based on which of the handles is attached.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This application relates to vacuum cleaners.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A vacuum cleaner includes a base and different cleaning
attachments and handles that are removably attachable to the base.
The cleaning attachments include a vacuuming head for vacuuming a
carpet, a shampooing head for shampooing the carpet, and an
accessory hose for cleaning above-the-floor household surfaces. The
handles include an upright handle for pushing the base over the
carpet and a portable handle for lifting the base to
above-the-floor surfaces.
SUMMARY
[0003] A cleaning apparatus includes a base, a cleaning head and a
handle. The cleaning head is configured to be attached to the base
and moved against a household surface to clean the surface. The
handle is configured to be removably attached to the base for
manually moving the base by the handle. The handle has an
electronic user interface with which a user can control or monitor
operation of the base.
[0004] Preferably, the user interface is a control for the user to
control an operating condition of the base. The base is free of an
electronic user interface. The cleaning head is a vacuuming head,
and the base includes a fan for moving dirt laden air through the
head into a dirt receptacle. The handle is configured to output a
signal to the base indicating to the base which type of handle it
is. A different handle is configured to be removably attached to
the base for manually moving the base and has an electronic user
interface with which the user can control or monitor operation of
the base. The base and the handle have respective terminals that
are interconnectable and through which the user interface
communicates with the base. The terminals are configured for the
terminal of the handle to be moved toward and into connection with
the terminal of the base by movement of the handle toward and into
an installed position removably attached to the handle. The base is
configured to control an operating condition of the base based on
which of the handles is attached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner base and
different cleaning attachments and handle assemblies that can be
removably attached to the base;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base, showing its
external parts;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base, showing its
internal parts;
[0008] FIGS. 4 and 5 are exploded views of an upright handle
assembly shown in FIG. 1, taken from two different viewpoints;
[0009] FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a procedure for
attaching the upright handle assembly to the base;
[0010] FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the upright handle
assembly attached to the base to form an upright vacuum
cleaner;
[0011] FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating operation of the
upright vacuum cleaner;
[0012] FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a blower hose attached to
the upright handle assembly;
[0013] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of parts of a handle portion
of a portable handle assembly shown in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 11 is a sectional view illustrating a procedure for
attaching the portable handle assembly to the base; and
[0015] FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing the portable handle
assembly attached to the base.
DESCRIPTION
Overview
[0016] The apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 has parts that are examples
of the elements recited in the claims. The apparatus thus includes
examples of how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and
use the claimed invention. It is described here to meet the
requirements of enablement and best mode without imposing
limitations that are not recited in the claims.
[0017] The apparatus 1 is a cleaning system used for cleaning
household surfaces, such as a carpeted floor 6. The system 1
includes a base 10 and different cleaning attachments and handle
assemblies that can be removably attached to the base 10. The
cleaning attachments include a vacuuming head 12, a power head
assembly 14, an accessory hose 16 and a shampooing head 18. The
handle assemblies include an upright handle assembly 20 and a
portable handle assembly 22. Any of the attachments 12, 14, 16 and
18 can be installed on the base 10 with any of the handle
assemblies 20 and 22.
Base
[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the base 10 has a housing 30 located on
a horizontal longitudinal axis 31. The housing 30 has a front face
40 with upper and lower inlet ports 46 and 48. Two front wheels 50
and two rear wheels 52 are rotatable connected to the housing 30
for wheeling the base 10 over the floor 6. The rear wheels 52 are
fixed to a common axle 56. The base 10 has two perch pins 60 and a
bear claw latch 64 with a release button 66 for securing the
cleaning attachments to the base 10. It also has four electrical
contacts 71, 72, 73 and 74--respectively designated ground,
5VDC-out, 24VDC-out and resistance-sense. An attachment sensor 76
on the housing 30, in this example a pushbutton switch, senses
whether the upper inlet port 46 is covered by a cleaning
attachment.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 30 encases a fan 80 that has
an inlet 82 and an outlet 84 and is driven by a motor 88. The motor
88 also drives a drive pulley 90 through a drive train that
includes shafts 93, belts 94, pulleys 95, a bevel gear 96 and an
electrically actuated clutch 98. A drive assist motor 99 rotates
the rear wheels 52 to propel the base 10.
[0020] A handle mounting bracket 100 is pivotally attached to the
housing 30 by two prongs 102. The bracket 100 has a flat top
surface 104 with an outlet port 105. The port 105 is connected to
the fan outlet 84 by a flexible tube 106 that extends downward from
a gasket 108 surrounding the port 105. Two spacers 110 at the top
surface 104 prevent over-compression of the gasket 108. The bracket
100 has two pins 112 in respective notches 114 and a wedge surface
116, for securing the handle assemblies to the bracket 100.
[0021] An electronic position sensor 120 senses whether the bracket
100, and thus the upright handle assembly 20, is in an upright or
inclined position. In this example, the sensor is a contact switch
that is attached to the base 10 and contacts the bracket 100 when
the bracket 100 is upright. A multi-contact electrical base
terminal 124 is located at the top surface 104 of the handle
bracket 100.
[0022] A controller circuit 130 is electrically connected to the
electrical components 71-74, 76, 88, 98, 99, 120 and 124 (FIGS. 2
and 3) of the base 10 to monitor and control operation of the base
10. The circuit 130 receives wall current through a power cord 132.
It generates a 5VDC and 24VDC supply that is output through the
5VDC-out and 24VDC-out contacts 72 and 73. It senses electrical
resistance applied across the sense contact 73 and ground contact
71 by whichever attachment is installed on the base 10. Since each
attachment applies a unique resistance, the controller 130 can
determine which attachment, if any, is installed.
Cleaning Attachments
[0023] The four cleaning attachments 12, 14, 16 and 18 are shown in
FIG. 1. They are described individually as follows.
[0024] The vacuuming head 12 has a brushroll 202. When the head 12
is attached to the base 10, the brushroll 202 is driven by the
drive pulley 90 of the base 10 to rotate against the floor 6 to
dislodge dirt from the floor 6. The fan 80 generates an air flow
that draws the dirt from the floor 6 through the head 12. A
headlight 210 is powered by electricity supplied by the base 10
through the ground and 5VDC-out contacts 71 and 72 (FIG. 2).
[0025] The power head assembly 14 has a power head 300 with a
brushroll 302 driven by a motor 304. The assembly 14 further has a
tube structure comprising a rigid tube 374, a flexible tube 376 and
a connector 378. The connector 378 can be removably attached to the
base 10. In operation, the user grasps the rigid tube 374 by its
handgrip 380 to push and pull the power head 300 over the floor 6.
The flexible tube 376 enables the power head 300 to move
independently of the base 10. The brushroll 302 rotates against the
floor 6 to dislodge dirt. The fan 80 generates an air flow that
carries the dirt from the floor 6, through the power head 300 and
the tubes 374 and 376 into the upper inlet port 46 of the base 10.
A headlamp 390 on the power head 300 illuminates the floor 6 in
front of the power head 300. The headlamp 390 and the motor 304 are
respectively powered by 5VDC and 24VDC supplied by the base 10
through the electrical contacts 71-73 (FIG. 2).
[0026] The accessory hose 16 includes a flexible tube 400 extending
from a connector 410 that is attachable to the base 10. In
operation, the fan 80 draws air through the flexible tube 400 and
the upper inlet port 46 of the base 10.
[0027] The shampooing head 18 has front and rear brushrolls 501 and
502, both driven by the drive pulley 90 of the base 10. Shampoo is
deposited onto the carpet 6 by a shampoo-dispensing device 504 of
the head 18 and brushed into the carpet 6 by the brushrolls 501 and
502 to entrain dirt from the carpet 6. The shampoo is lifted from
the carpet 6 by the rear brushroll 502 and collected in a take-up
tray 506 in the head 18. The head 18 blocks air from entering the
inlet ports 46 and 48.
Upright Handle Assembly
[0028] The upright handle assembly 20 shown in FIGS. 4-5 includes
an upright handle 602 and a dirt receptacle 604. It enables the
base 10 and the vacuuming head 12 to be used together as an upright
vacuum cleaner. This type of cleaner is configured for the user to
stand upright while manually pushing the cleaner by its handle 602
over the floor 6 to clean the floor 6.
[0029] The handle 602 has a handgrip 610 configured to be grasped
by a user. A force sensor 612 in the handgrip 602 senses the
direction and magnitude of the force applied by the user to push
and pull the cleaner. The handle 602 further has a flat bottom 620
with an inlet port 622. An exhaust tube 624 extends upward from the
inlet port 622. At the handle bottom 620, a multi-contact
electrical terminal 630 mates with the terminal 124 on the base 10
to enable the controller 130 to communicate with electrical
components of the handle 602. Two hooks 634 and a lever 638 with a
wedge 639 are for attaching the handle 602 to the base 10.
[0030] The handle 602 has a user interface panel 640. The panel 640
has user interfaces 642 comprising controls and displays with which
the user communicates with the controller 130. The controls are for
manually selecting operating conditions of the cleaner. They
include membrane switches for powering the fan motor 88 (FIG. 3),
selecting motor speed, engaging the clutch 98, and activating the
drive-assist motor 99. In contrast, the displays are for displaying
operating conditions of the cleaner. They include lights for
indicating fan motor speed, whether the brushroll is rotating,
whether the drive-assist feature 99 is activated, and whether the
dirt receptacle 602 is full. The base 10 is free of any operating
controls and displays, because they are all on the handle 602. The
panel 640 also outputs a signal to the controller 130 indicating
what type of handle it is--in this case identifying itself as an
upright handle. The panel 640 is sufficiently close to the handgrip
610 to enable a finger of a user's hand to press the controls while
the hand is grasping the handgrip 610.
[0031] The dirt receptacle 604 includes a permanent outer filter
bag 650. The bag 650 is suspended from a mounting tab 652 that
snaps into a clip 654 on the handle 602. A rigid connector 656 at
the bottom of the bag 650 has a hole 657 configured to receive the
handle's exhaust tube 624. Bayonet slots 658 around the hole 657
receive bayonet lugs 659 on the exhaust tube 624. A fill tube 660
extends upward from the inlet port 657 into the outer bag 650. A
disposable inner filter bag 670 is inserted into the outer bag 650
through a zippered opening 672 and press-fitted over the fill tube
660.
[0032] The handle 602 can be attached to the base 10 as shown in
FIG. 6. First, the hooks 634 of the handle 602 are hooked onto the
pins 112 of the base bracket 100. Next, the handle 602 is pivoted
(arrow 673) forward and downward into its installed position shown
in FIG. 7. Then, the lever 638 is pivoted (arrow 674) and wedged
under the wedge surface 116 to lock the handle 602 in place.
[0033] In the installation procedure illustrated in FIG. 6, the
pivoting movement (arrow 673) of the handle 602 toward and into its
installed position moves its bottom surface 620 toward and into
sealing engagement with the gasket 108 and also toward and into
engagement with the spacers 100, and also moves the handle terminal
630 toward and into engagement with the base terminal 124. As the
handle 602 pivots forward (arrow 673), proper alignment of the
handle's inlet port 624 with the base's outlet port 105 is ensured
by each hook 634 being closely captured by and between the
respective pin 112 and walls 675 (FIG. 3) of the respective notch
114.
[0034] The sequence of steps of 1) installing the inner bag 670 in
the outer bag 650, 2) installing the outer bag 650 on the handle
602, and 3) installing the handle 602 on the base 10 can be
performed in any order.
[0035] The handle 602 in FIG. 7 can be removed from the base 10 by
first pivoting the lever 638 out of engagement with the wedge
surface 116 and then pivoting the handle 602 rearward about the
pivot pins 112. The hooks 634 can then removed from the pivot
pins.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 8, a user can grasp the handgrip 610 to
pivot (arrow 677) the handle 602 rearward and push/pull the base 10
over the floor 6. When the user presses the power switch of the
control panel 640, the controller 130 powers the motor 88 to drive
the fan 80. The fan 80 generates an air flow (arrows 678) that
carries dirt from the floor 6 through the vacuuming head 12, the
lower inlet ports 48, the fan 80, the outlet port 105 and the fill
tube 660 into the inner bag 670.
[0037] The controller 130 inputs operating parameters of the
cleaner from various sensors and switches of the cleaner.
Specifically, from the force sensor 612 in the handgrip 610, the
controller 130 inputs the direction and magnitude of force manually
applied to the handle 602. From the position sensor 120 in the base
10, the controller 130 determines whether the handle 602 is in the
upright or inclined position. Through the control panel 640, the
controller 130 determines which switch the user presses and the
type of handle installed, and displays information to the user. No
signal being received through the base terminal 124 indicates that
no handle 602 is installed. From the attachment sense switch 76
(FIG. 2), the controller 130 determines whether the upper inlet
port 46 is covered by a cleaning attachment. By sensing the
electrical resistance across the ground and resistance-sense
contacts 71 and 74, the controller 130 determines if a cleaning
attachment, and which cleaning attachment, is installed.
[0038] The controller 130 controls operation of the cleaner based
on the parameters input from the sensors and switches. For example,
the controller 130 applies a higher default motor speed when the
accessory hose 16 (FIG. 1) is attached than when the vacuuming head
12 is attached. The controller 130 engages the clutch 98 (FIG. 3),
and thus engages the motor 88 to the drive pulley 90, only when,
concurrently, a handle is installed and either the vacuuming hear
12 or shampooing head 18 is installed. The controller 130 will not
power the motor 88 if no handle is installed or no cleaning
attachment is installed. The controller 130 powers the drive assist
motor 99 (FIG. 3) to rotate the rear wheels 52 in a direction and
at a speed that correspond respectively to the direction and
magnitude of the force manually applied to the handle 602. The
drive assist motor 99 thus assists the user in propelling the base
10 over the floor 6. The controller 130 activates the drive-assist
motor 99 (FIG. 3) only when, concurrently, either the vacuuming or
shampooing head 12 or 18 is installed, the upright handle 602 is
installed and inclined, and a "drive-assist" switch on the control
panel 640 has been pressed.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 9, in place of the dirt receptacle 604
(FIG. 8), a blower hose 680 can be friction-fitted over the exhaust
tube 624 of the handle 602 for use in blowing debris or inflating
things.
Portable Handle Assembly
[0040] A portable handle assembly 22 shown in FIG. 1 includes a
portable handle 702 and a dirt receptacle 704. It enables the base
10 and the vacuuming head to be used together as a portable vacuum
cleaner. This type of cleaner is configured for the user to
manually lift and move the cleaner by the handle 702 to clean
vertical or above-the-floor household surfaces.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 10, the portable handle 702 has several
parts that have the same functions as corresponding parts of the
upright handle 602. These include a handgrip 710, a flat bottom 720
with an inlet port 722, an exhaust tube 724 extending upward from
the port 722, an electrical terminal 730, two hooks 734, and a
locking lever 738 with a wedge 739.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 11, the dirt receptacle 704 has a permanent
outer filter bag 750. A rigid connector 756 at the bottom of the
bag 750 is similar to the connector 656 of the upright handle
assembly 20. The connector 756 has an inlet port 757 and bayonet
slots 758 secured to bayonet lugs 759 of the handle's exhaust tube
724. A fill tube 760 extends from the inlet port 757 into the outer
bag 750. A disposable inner filter bag 770 is inserted into the
outer bag 750 through a zippered opening in the outer bag 750 and
press-fitted over the fill tube 760.
[0043] The portable handle 702 can be installed in a manner similar
to that of the upright handle 602. First, as shown in FIG. 11, the
hooks 734 are hooked onto the pins 112 (FIG. 3) of the base bracket
100. Then, the handle 702 is pivoted (arrow 775) into the installed
position shown in FIG. 12, and the lever 638 is pivoted to wedge
the wedge 739 against the wedge surface 116 of the bracket 100.
[0044] The sequence of steps of 1) installing the inner bag 770 in
the outer bag 750, 2) installing the outer bag 750 on the handle
702, and 3) installing the handle 702 on the base 10 can be
performed in any order. In place of the bag assembly 704, the
blower hose 680 (FIG. 9) can be friction-fitted over the exhaust
tube 724 of the handle 702 for use in blowing debris or inflating
things.
[0045] The portable handle 702 is different than the upright handle
602 in several ways. As shown in FIG. 12, the portable handle 702
projects forward over the base 10 instead of rearward away from the
base 10. This is to orient its handgrip 710 directly above the
center of gravity of the cleaner. In place of the upright handle's
control panel 640 (FIG. 4), the portable handle 702 has a single
rocker-type power switch 776 for powering the fan motor 88, and no
displays. Unlike the upright handle 602, the portable handle 702
lacks a switch for activating the drive-assist, lacks a display for
indicating whether the drive-assist is activated, and lacks the
force sensor used for the drive-assist feature. Also unlike the
upright handle 602, the portable handle 702 has a pivot-preventing
projection 780 (FIG. 10) configured to be closely received in a
groove (not shown) in the base 10 to prevent the handle 702 from
pivoting.
[0046] This written description uses examples to disclose the
invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person
skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable
scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include
other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other
examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they
have elements that do not differ from the literal language of the
claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with
insubstantial differences from the literal language of the
claims.
* * * * *