U.S. patent number RE32,257 [Application Number 06/677,365] was granted by the patent office on 1986-10-07 for vacuum cleaning appliances.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Prototypes, Ltd.. Invention is credited to James Dyson.
United States Patent |
RE32,257 |
Dyson |
October 7, 1986 |
Vacuum cleaning appliances
Abstract
This invention relates to a vacuum cleaning appliance which is
convertible to act both as an upright type cleaner or a cylinder
type cleaner. The main air passageway through the appliance
includes a motor driven suction fan unit and a valve device which
is operable to connect the passageway either with an air inlet in a
carpet engaging section or with an air inlet in a socket for
receiving a cleaner head in the form of a hollow pipe which is
connected with the socket by a flexible hose. The pipe slides
telescopically within the flexible hose so as to engage within the
socket and to act as a handle. When located in the socket the pipe
operates the valve device to connect the air passageway with the
carpet engaging section.
Inventors: |
Dyson; James (Bath,
GB2) |
Assignee: |
Prototypes, Ltd. (Bath,
GB2)
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Family
ID: |
10512383 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/677,365 |
Filed: |
December 3, 1984 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
247871 |
Mar 26, 1981 |
04377882 |
Mar 29, 1983 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 26, 1980 [GB] |
|
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8010098 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/335;
15/346 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
9/00 (20130101); A47L 9/322 (20130101); A47L
9/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47L
9/02 (20060101); A47L 9/08 (20060101); A47L
9/32 (20060101); A47L 9/00 (20060101); A47L
005/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/331,334,335,337,346 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moore; Chris K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McLeod; Ian C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A vacuum cleaning appliance comprising:
a main casing having an air passageway therein containing a motor
driven suction fan unit,
a floor engaging section containing a first inlet for dirt laden
air and selectively communicating with said passageway,
a second inlet for dirt laden air selectively communicating with
said passageway, said second inlet comprising a socket,
a tubular member having a first end coupled to said socket and a
second end,
a hollow pipe member at least partially housed within said tubular
member, a lower end of said pipe member being detachably inserted
into or removed from said socket, said lower end of said pipe
member being connected with said socket through said tubular member
when removed from said socket, an upper end of said pipe member
extending beyond said second end of said tubular member and forming
a handle for said appliance when said lower end of said pipe member
is inserted into said socket, and
a valve device operable in response to the insertion into or
removal from said socket of said pipe member for connecting said
passageway selectively with one of said first and second
inlets.
2. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
valve device comprises a valve member which is pivotally mounted at
a point of coupling of the socket with the air passageway, said
valve member being spring urged normally into a position closing
that part of said passageway communicating with said first air
inlet in said floor engaging section.
3. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in 2, wherein said valve
member is engageable by said hollow pipe member when said lower end
of said pipe member is inserted in said socket and is pivoted
thereby to close the entrance of said socket with said air
passageway.
4. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 3, wherein said
valve member includes a catch device for fixedly engaging said
lower end of said hollow pipe member when the latter is inserted in
said socket so as to retain said pipe member in a position where it
acts as a handle for the appliance.
5. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 4, wherein said
catch device is pivotally mounted in said valve member and is
adapted to hold said hollow pipe member with the lower end of said
pipe spaced from the end of said socket, and said catch device is
releasable by downward movement of said pipe member in said socket
to pivot said catch device relative to said valve member and permit
removal of the lower end of said pipe member from said socket.
6. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
tubular member is a flexible hose and said hollow pipe member is
telescopically mounted within the flexible hose section.
7. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein air
passing through said fan unit is discharged into the atmosphere
through a cleaner head provided at said floor engaging section.
8. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
cleaner head of the floor engaging section includes a rotating
brush unit which includes a pawl device preventing rotation of the
brush unit during one direction of movement of the appliance.
9. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
bristles of the brush unit pass between spaced plates during
rotation so as to remove accumulated dirt.
10. A vacuum cleaning appliance comprising:
a main casing having an air passageway therein containing a
motor-driven suction fan unit,
a socket communicating with said passageway and providing an inlet
for dirt laden air,
a flexible hose section having a first end fixedly secured to said
socket and a second end, and
a hollow pipe member connected to slide telescopically within said
flexible hose section, said hollow pipe member having a lower end
which is engagable with said socket when said pipe member is fully
retracted into said flexible hose section and with said second end
of said flexible hose section when said pipe member is fully
extended.
11. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein
said hollow pipe member is retained in said socket by a releasable
catch device, said hollow pipe member when so located in said
socket providing at an upper end thereof a handle for said
appliance.
12. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 11, wherein
said hollow pipe member functions as an inlet for dirt laden air
when said lower end thereof is removed from said socket. .Iadd.
13. A vacuum cleaning appliance comprising:
(a) a main casing having an air passageway therein containing a
motor driven suction fan unit;
(b) a floor engaging section containing a first inlet for dirt
laden air and selectively communicating with said passageway;
(c) a second inlet for dirt laden air selectively communicating
with said passageway, said second inlet comprising a socket;
(d) a tubular member having a first end coupled to said socket and
a second end and having a flexible section between said ends;
(e) a hollow pipe member at least partially housed within said
tubular member, a lower end of said pipe member being detachably
inserted into or removed from said socket, said lower end of said
pipe member being connected with said socket through said tubular
member when removed from said socket, an upper end of said pipe
member extending beyond said second end of said tubular member and
forming a handle for said appliance when said lower end of said
pipe member is inserted into said socket; and
(f) a valve device operable for connecting said passageway
selectively with one of said first and second inlets. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.
14. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 13, wherein
said tubular member is a flexible hose and said hollow pipe member
is telescopically mounted within the flexible hose section.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.
15. A vacuum cleaning appliance comprising:
(a) a main casing having an air passageway therein containing a
motor-driven suction fan unit;
(b) a socket communicating with said passageway and providing an
inlet for dirt laden air;
(c) a flexible hose section having a first end fixedly secured to
said socket and a second end;
(d) a hollow pipe member connected to slide telescopically within
said flexible hose section, said hollow pipe member having a lower
end which is engageable with said socket when said pipe member is
fully retracted into said flexible hose section and with said
second end of said flexible hose section when said pipe member is
fully extended; and
(e) said pipe having a portion extending beyond said flexible hose
when said lower end is engaged with said socket and serving as a
handle for maneuvering said vacuum cleaning appliance. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.16. A vacuum cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 15,
wherein said hollow pipe member is retained in said socket by a
releasable catch device, said hollow pipe member when so located in
said socket providing at an upper end thereof a handle for said
appliance. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A vacuum cleaning appliance as
claimed in claim 16, wherein said hollow pipe member functions as
an inlet for dirt laden air when said lower end thereof is removed
from said
socket. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. A vacuum cleaning appliance
comprising:
(a) a main casing having an air passageway therein containing a
motor driven suction fan unit;
(b) a floor engaging section containing a first inlet for dirt
laden air and selectively communicating with said passageway;
(c) a second inlet for dirt laden air selectively communicating
with said passageway, said second inlet comprising a socket;
(d) a tubular member having a first end coupled to said socket and
a second end;
(e) a hollow pipe member at least partially housed within said
tubular member, a lower end of said pipe member being detachably
inserted into or removed from said socket, said lower end of said
pipe member being connected with said socket through said tubular
member when removed from said socket, and upper end of said pipe
member extending beyond said second end of said tubular member and
forming a handle for said appliance when said lower end of said
pipe member is inserted into said socket; and
(f) a valve device mounted on the socket which opens and closes the
second inlet and is actuated by insertion of the pipe member into
the socket which moves the valve device. .Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates generally to vacuum cleaning appliances and
more particularly, but not exclusively, to portable electrically
operated vacuum appliances intended for domestic use.
Vacuum cleaning appliances of this kind include an electrically
driven fan whereby dust, grit and other dirt ingrained in a carpet
is removed by suction, the dirt being deposited in a removable
container such as a bag.
An upright-type cleaner of the above kind usually comprises a
housing for the fan unit, the housing having a carpet engaging
section which may incorporate rotatable brushes. The machine is
usually manipulated by a rigid handle pivotally mounted on the
casing of the appliance.
A cylinder type machine of the above kind usually comprises a main
casing containing the fan unit and having an inlet opening for
receiving a flexible hose to which suitable fittings may be
attached.
An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaning
appliance which incorporates the advantages of both types of
machines and which is so constructed that the machine may be easily
and quickly converted from one type to the other as desired. The
cleaning appliance of the invention may therefore be used as an
upright type machine movable over a carpet to be cleaned by means
of its handle which in the preferred embodiments of the invention
consists of a rigid tubular pipe member mounted within a flexible
hose connected to the casing of the cleaner. In the upright
operation of the cleaner the inner end of the pipe member is
slidably projected through the surrounding flexible hose and is
located within an opening in the casing to provide a rigid handle
for maneuvering the machine. When so fitted the end of the pipe
member seats within the opening in the casing so as to close the
inner end of the pipe member and it furthermore acts to maintain
open a spring operated valve member located in the passageway
connecting the motor driven fan unit with the floor engaging
section of the cleaner.
In order to convert the cleaner for cylinder type operation the
handle is slidably removed from the opening in the casing so as to
provide a rigid pipe member mounted within the end of the
surrounding flexible hose connected to the casing. The removal of
the pipe member from the opening in the casing furthermore releases
the valve member which under the action of its spring closes off
the connection between the fan unit and the carpet engaging
section, and thereby communicates the fan unit directly with the
hose member and its associated pipe member which now forms the
carpet engaging member of the cleaner. In this mode of operation of
the cleaner various attachments can be fitted to the end of the
pipe member in accordance with conventional practice, for example
for the cleaning of curtains and furniture.
A further related object of the invention is to provide the cleaner
with an improved brush unit in the carpet engaging section of the
appliance.
The features of the invention may be incorporated in any
conventional vacuum cleaning appliance. However, in order that the
invention may be clearly understood the features of the invention
will now be described by way of example with reference to the
accompanying drawings which illustrate a cyclone type vacuum
cleaning appliance as described in my co-pending application Ser.
No. 140,497, filed Apr. 15, 1980. In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a vacuum cleaning appliance
incorporating the features of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing details of
the handle construction;
FIG. 3 is a section through a part of the vacuum cleaning appliance
taken on the line 3--3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a horizontal section through the casing of the vacuum
cleaning appliance taken on line 4--4 in FIG. 3 and showing the
direction of air flow through the appliance;
FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5--5 in FIG. 4 and showing
the valve device controlled by the handle of the appliance for
converting it from its upright mode of operation to its cylinder
mode of operation and vice versa;
FIG. 6 is a part sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing the valve
device and tubular handle positioned for upright mode of operation
of the appliance;
FIG. 7 is a similar part section showing the valve device
positioned for cylinder mode of operation of the appliance;
FIG. 8 is a section on the line 8--8 in FIG. 3 showing the carpet
engaging section or cleaner head of the appliance;
FIG. 9 is a part section on the line 9--9 in FIG. 3 showing the
ratchet and pawl arrangement for rotating the carpet engaging
brushes; and
FIG. 10 is a part section similar to FIG. 9 but showing the
operation of the ratchet and pawl during a reverse movement of the
appliance over a carpet.
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the vacuum cleaning
appliance of the invention is shown in its upright mode of
operation and it comprises a main casing 10 which is detachably
fitted to the top of a casing 11 containing the electric motor and
fan unit. The main casing 10 is provided with a rigid U-shaped
carrying handle 12 which is connected at its ends to the opposite
side portions 13 of the main casing. The motor casing 11 is fitted
at opposite sides with a pair of supporting wheels 15 (see FIG. 3)
for the appliance and the casing also includes an on-off push
switch 16 for controlling the operation of the electric motor.
A lower cleaner head 17 for engaging a carpet to be cleaned is
pivotally mounted on the motor casing 11 so that during use of the
appliance the main casing may be pivoted relatively to the cleaner
head 17 to allow the passage of the appliance under low furniture
such as a bed.
The motor casing 11 is provided with an extension 18 which forms a
rigid socket for slidably receiving the lower end of a tubular pipe
or wand 19. The pipe 19 at its upper end is fitted with a hand grip
20 and forms a handle for manoeuvrering the appliance. The pipe 19
slidably fits within a stretch, retractable flexible hose 21 which
is secured at its lower end around the upper open end of the
extension 18 of the casing. The arrangement is such that the pipe
19 when fitted in the socket of the extension 18 enables the handle
to be used for manoeuvrering the appliance as an upright type
machine. When the pipe 19 is slidably removed from the socket in
the extension 18 the pipe 19 is then used as a cleaner head at the
end of the flexible hose 21 thus converting the appliance into a
cylinder type machine. The fitting of the pipe 19 in hose 21 and
the conversion of the appliance from one mode of operation to the
other and vice versa will be described hereinafter in greater
detail.
FIG. 3 of the drawings provides a section through the lower part of
main casing 10, motor casing 11 and cleaner head 17 of the
appliance.
The main casing 10 provides a housing for the cleaner unit which
may be of any conventional type including e.g. dust bags. In the
drawing the cleaner unit consists of a pair of cyclones 22 and 23
which are located in series in the air flow through the appliance
and which operate to remove by centrifugal action the dust and
other dirt engrained in the air. The construction and operation of
such cleaning units are described and claimed in my co-pending
application.
The cyclones 22, 23 at their lower larger ends are interconnected
centrally of the casing so as to provide an intercommunicating
passageway 24 (see FIG. 4) for the air flow through the
appliance.
The cyclones 22, 23 are spaced from the casing 10 to form
therebetween and externally of the cyclones a chamber 32 for
receiving dust and other dirt removed from the air flow by the
cyclone units.
The air flow enters the main casing 10 through a flexible hose 45
which is attached to a short rigid pipe 46 opening into the casing
47 of the lower cleaner head 17. The hose 45 at its upper end is
attached to a short rigid pipe 48 which extends through a
horizontal plate 49, which plate is attached to and forms the top
plate of the motor casing 11. The pipe 48 connects with a curved
entry pipe 49 so as to direct the air flow as shown by the arrows
into the base of the cyclone 22 in a tangential manner (see also
FIGS. 4 and 5), the air then spiraling up the inner surface of the
curved wall of the cyclone to deposit engrained dust and dirt by
centrifugal action over the top edge of the cyclone.
The air flow then passes centrally down the cyclone into a pipe 50
formed in the top plate 49 and then enters the transverse
passageway 24. The air flow then enters the lower part of the
cyclone 23 also in a tangential manner (see FIG. 4) and is again
processed in the cyclone so as to remove any further remaining fine
dust and dirt.
The air flow then passes centrally down the cyclone 23 to enter a
pipe 51 upstanding from the plate 49. The air flow exits from the
pipe 51 into the fan and motor chamber 52 of the casing 11, and is
then discharged through an aperture 53 into the cleaner head casing
47 from which it discharges into the carpet through an elongated
slot 54 (see FIG. 8) formed in the casing. In an alternative
construction the air flow may discharge directly into the
atmosphere from a side slot in the casing.
The plate 49 forming the top plate of the motor casing 11 has an
outer peripheral flange 55 which seats in the lip 56 of a housing
57 providing the lower part of the casing 11. The plate 49 is
attached to the housing 57 by connecting bolt 58 and nut 59, the
bolt extending through a chamber 60 which communicates with the
inlet pipe 48 by means of an aperture (see FIG. 3). The chamber 60
also communicates with hollow shaft 27 which is provided with a
control knob (not shown). The user of the appliance may
progressively vent the inlet passageway of the appliance to
atmosphere and so vary at will the degree of suction exerted on the
carpet being cleaned. This control of the appliance is available
whether the appliance is operating in its upright or cylinder mode
of operation.
The casing 11 consisting of the top plate 49 and the housing 57 to
which it is connected provides firstly the chamber 52 for the motor
64 and the fan 65, and secondly a chamber 66 in which is mounted a
spring loaded reel 67 for the electric supply cable 68 of the
appliance.
The lower cleaner head casing 47 is elongated in shape and extends
across the width of the appliance having a pair of spaced
upstanding arms 69 and 70 which are pivotally attached to the
casing 11 by means of pivot pins 71 located within slots in the
bottom housing 57. The casing 47 is provided with the exit pipe 46
previously mentioned and also formed with a chamber 72 provided by
walls 73 upstanding from the casing 47 and which slidably engage
the lower wall of the housing 57 around the aperture 53.
The cleaner head casing 47 furthermore has a longitudinal
open-sided slot 74 in which is located a rotatable brush unit 75.
The brush unit comprises opposite sets of bristles and is mounted
on a longitudinal shaft 76 pivotally mounted in the end walls 77 of
the casing. The shaft 76 also supports the plates 78 which are
toothed and one of which comprises a ratchet which is engaged by a
pawl 79 during one direction of rotation of the brush unit.
During forward movement of the appliance as shown in FIG. 9 the
brush unit 75 rotates freely while in contact with the carpet, but
during reverse movement as shown in FIG. 10 the pawl 79 engages a
ratchet tooth 80 on the corresponding plate 78 so as to prevent
reverse movement of the brush unit 75 and which thereby provides a
brushing effect to the carpet. During rotation of the brush unit 75
during a forward movement of the appliance, the opposite sets of
bristles preferably passed between spaced plates 81 (see
particularly FIG. 3) so as to remove therefrom any accumulated
fluff and other dirt which is then sucked into the appliance
through the pipe 46.
As previously mentioned the vacuum cleaning appliance of the
invention as shown in the drawings is primarily intended for
operation as an upright type cleaner, the appliance being
manoeuvred by the handle 20 on the end of the tubular pipe 19 which
fits the socket in the extension 18 of the motor casing 11.
The invention however provides that the appliance may be quickly
and simply converted for operation as a cylinder type cleaner and
vice versa, merely by the removal and insertion of the tubular pipe
or wand 19 in the socket of the casing extension 18.
The constructional features which enable this change over are shown
more clearly in FIGS. 5 to 7 of the drawings.
FIG. 5 shows the pipe or wand 19 inserted in the extension 18 which
provides an open socket 82 for slidably receiving the lower end of
the pipe. The socket 82 provides an end seat 83 for the end of the
pipe 19, but in its operating mode as an upright cleaner as shown
in FIG. 5 the end of the pipe is held spaced from the seat 83 by a
valve device shown generally by the reference 85.
The valve device 85 controls an aperture 84 in the side wall of the
socket 82 which communicates the socket with the inlet pipe 48 of
the appliance.
The valve device is pivotally mounted at 86 on the casing and it
comprises a valve member 87 normally closing the aperture 84. At
the other side of the pivot point 86 the valve device has an open
sided housing 88 in which is mounted a compression spring 89
normally urging the valve device in an anti-clockwise direction to
open the aperture 84. A switch member 90 is also mounted pivotally
on the valve device and is movable relatively thereto. The switch
member 90 is formed with a bore which contains a compression spring
94 acting against a slidable plunger 93.
When the appliance is in its upright mode of operation the pipe 19
is located as shown in FIG. 5 with the corner edge 91 of the switch
90 engaging a groove 92 in the pipe 19. In this position the valve
member 87 has closed the aperture 84 and the plunger 93 has engaged
a part of the pivot 86 which is on that side of the pivot line
adjacent the housing 88. In this position the switch member 90 is
locked into position so that anti-clockwise movement of the switch
member and valve device is prevented and this retains the pipe 19
firmly in position to act as a handle to maneuver the
appliance.
In order to convert the appliance to a cylinder type cleaner the
pipe 19 is firstly pushed downwardly in the socket 82 into the seat
83 as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings. As the pipe 19 moves
downwardly the switch member pivots clockwise relatively to the
valve device and this re-engages the plunger 93 on the opposite
side of the line from the pivot 86. The plunger 93 now holds the
switch member 90 in the position shown in FIG. 6 which allows for
unrestricted removal of the pipe 19 upwardly from the socket
82.
As the pipe 19 moves upwardly the valve device 85 pivots
anti-clockwise under the action of its spring 89 to the position
shown in FIG. 7. In this position the valve member 87 engages the
top edge of the wall of the pipe 48 to allow the plunger to
re-engage the opposite side of the line from the pivot point 86
which thus allows anti-clockwise pivotal movement of the switch
member 90 relative to the valve device. This sets the switch member
for subsequent engagement with the pipe 19 when the pipe is
reinserted in the socket 82 for conversion to the upright mode of
operation of the appliance.
In this cylinder mode of operation as shown in FIG. 7 the pipe 19
is now connected through the aperture 84 directly with the
passageway entering the cleaner unit. The valve member 87 now
closes the inlet connection to the cleaner head and by slidably
moving the pipe 19 to the end of the surrounding flexible hose 21
the open end of the pipe handle 20 can be used as a cleaner head
and may be fitted with various attachments in the conventional
manner. The pipe 19 is retained in a sealing tight manner in the
outer end of the hose 21 by a cuff 95 which permits sliding of the
pipe 19 and the locking therein of the end of the pipe by means of
the groove 92.
Although in the preferred embodiment as described above the
change-over from cylinder to upright mode of operation and vice
versa is effected by movement of the wand handle it will be be
understood that entirely separate control of the change-over valve
may be incorporated in the appliance. For example, the valve device
85 may be actuated manually from the exterior of the casing or it
may be controlled electrically from the handle of the appliance. In
such arrangements the wand handle would be fitted in the flexible
hose to engage the locating socket as previously described.
Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings the pipe or wand 19 is
slidably mounted in hose 21 and at its inner or lower end it is
fitted with a fixed sleeve 96. The hose 21 is connected at its
lower end to the socket 82 by a cuff 97, the hose having a PVC
sleeve 98 bonded to the cuff. The upper end of the hose includes a
further PVC sleeve 99 bonded to the cuff 95 which includes a felt
or similar seal 100 in sliding contact with pipe 19. In FIG. 2 pipe
19 is shown in the inserted or upright mode of operation of the
appliance. In the conversion of the appliance to its cylinder mode
pipe 19 slides relative to cuff 95 until the upper edge 101 of
sleeve 96 engages surface 102 of upper cuff 95. The arrangement
prevents the removal of pipe 19 from hose 21 but the bevelled edge
101 enables the hose to be removed if required by force. The
arrangement as described is of course applicable to any
conventional cylinder type appliance for locating the wand when not
in use.
In order to re-convert the appliance for upright mode of operation
the pipe 19 is merely re-inserted slidably within the short upright
tubular casing 82. This maneuver generally facilitated by closing
the open end of the pipe handle 20 while the fan is operating, the
resulting suction acting to straighten the hose 21 which enables
the pipe 19 to be slidably moved therein without difficulty.
* * * * *