Surface cleaning apparatus

• US 10,136,779 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest, Conrad, Nina, Petersen, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US15/250,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20180055303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/36 Suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing; Suction cleaners for fixing on staircases; Suction cleaners for carrying on the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0019 Details of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0036 specially adapted for holding the suction hose
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0045 specially adapted for holding the suction tube
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/24 Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings hoses or hose joints in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 : Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 : for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprises a surface cleaning head and an upright section. The surface cleaning head has rear wheels having a diameter and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends. The upright section is movably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a generally upright position and a rearwardly inclined in use position. The upright section has an air treatment member assembly comprising an air treatment member, a dirt collection region wherein at least a portion of the dirt collection region is exterior to and laterally spaced with respect to the air treatment member and a housing having a suction motor therein. The diameter of the rear wheels is greater than a depth of the portion of the dirt collection region in a direction of the central longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a front end, a rear end, rear wheels having a diameter, a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, first and second laterally opposed sides, a dirty air inlet and a surface cleaning head air outlet; and

,

(b) an upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a generally upright position and a rearwardly inclined in use position, the upright section comprising an air treatment member assembly comprising an air treatment member, a dirt collection region wherein at least a portion of the dirt collection region is exterior to and laterally spaced with respect to the air treatment member and a housing having a suction motor therein,

wherein the diameter of the rear wheels is greater than a depth of the portion of the dirt collection region in a direction of the central longitudinal axis, and

wherein the housing has a motor housing portion which houses the suction motor and a lateral portion laterally spaced from the motor housing portion wherein the lateral portion has a depth in a direction of the central longitudinal axis that is less than a depth of the motor housing portion.

2. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lateral portion houses a post motor filter.

3. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection region is located above the lateral portion when the upright section is in the generally upright position.

4. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the motor housing portion underlies the air treatment member.

5. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone chamber and the dirt collection region comprises a dirt collection chamber.

6. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the suction motor is generally laterally aligned with an air outlet of the cyclone chamber.

7. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lateral portion houses a post motor filter.

8. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upright section further comprises an up flow duct positioned behind the lateral portion.

9. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the up flow duct is located proximate a rear side of the motor housing portion.

10. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the motor housing portion has a depth in a direction of the central longitudinal axis that is generally equal to a depth of the lateral portion in a direction of the central longitudinal axis and a depth of the up flow duct in a direction of the central longitudinal axis.

11. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upright section comprises a cleaning unit that contains the air treatment member assembly and suction motor and a drive handle extending from an upper end of the cleaning unit, and wherein a maximum depth of the cleaning unit in a direction of the central longitudinal axis is 6 inches or less.

12. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upright section comprises a cleaning unit that contains the air treatment member assembly and suction motor and a drive handle extending from an upper end of the cleaning unit, and wherein a maximum depth of the cleaning unit in a direction of the central longitudinal axis is 4 inches or less.

13. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upright section further comprises an up flow duct and the up flow duct has a length in a lateral direction that is transverse to the central longitudinal axis that is greater than a depth of the up flow duct in a direction of the central longitudinal axis.

14. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13 wherein the length of the up flow duct is more than twice the depth of the up flow duct.

15. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13 wherein the up flow duct is rectangular or ovaloid.

16. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a front end, a rear end, rear wheels having a diameter, a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, first and second laterally opposed sides, a dirty air inlet and a surface cleaning head air outlet; and

,

(b) an upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a generally upright position and a rearwardly inclined in use position, the upright section comprising an air treatment member assembly comprising an air treatment member, a dirt collection region wherein at least a portion of the dirt collection region is exterior to and laterally spaced with respect to the air treatment member and a housing having a suction motor therein,

wherein the diameter of the rear wheels is greater than a depth of the portion of the dirt collection region in a direction of the central longitudinal axis, and

wherein the housing has a central portion which houses the suction motor and a lateral portion laterally spaced from the central portion wherein the lateral portion has a depth in a direction of the central longitudinal axis that is less than a depth of the central portion.

17. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a front end, a rear end, rear wheels having a diameter, a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, first and second laterally opposed sides, a dirty air inlet and a surface cleaning head air outlet; and

,

(b) an upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a generally upright position and a rearwardly inclined in use position, the upright section comprising an air treatment member assembly comprising an air treatment member, a dirt collection region wherein at least a portion of the dirt collection region is exterior to and laterally spaced with respect to the air treatment member and a housing having a suction motor therein,

wherein the diameter of the rear wheels is greater than a depth of the portion of the dirt collection region in a direction of the central longitudinal axis, and

wherein the housing has a central portion and a lateral portion laterally spaced from the central portion, and

wherein an axis of rotation of the rear wheels is located rearward of the lateral portion and underlies the upright section when the upright section is in the generally upright position.