Portable surface cleaning apparatus

• US 10,441,121 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest, Thorne, Jason Boyd, Liu, Sam, Kwok, Amy
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dung Van
• Application Number:
  US15/498,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20170224180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 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 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0027 specially adapted for holding the suction cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/12 Dry filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• 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 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/246 with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/322 for hand-supported suction cleaners

Abstract

A hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus comprises a body housing a suction motor and comprising a handle. The handle has a handgrip portion that extends upwardly in an upward direction when the surface cleaning apparatus is disposed on a horizontal surface, wherein the handle and a rear surface of the body define a finger gap in which a user may place the user'"'"'s fingers while gripping the handle. The suction motor is positioned adjacent the rear surface of the body.

Claims

1. A hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a body housing a suction motor and comprising a handle;

(b) the handle having a handgrip portion that extends upwardly in an upward direction when the surface cleaning apparatus is disposed on a horizontal surface, wherein the handle and a rear surface of the body define a finger gap in which a user may place the user'"'"'s fingers while gripping the handle;

(c) the suction motor having an axis of rotation that is oriented upwardly when the surface cleaning apparatus is disposed on a horizontal surface, the suction motor is positioned adjacent the rear surface of the body;

(d) an air treatment member mounted to the body and having a central longitudinal axis; and

,

(e) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including the suction motor and the air treatment member

wherein the dirty air inlet has an inlet axis which intersects the handgrip portion.

2. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the finger gap has a length in the upward direction and the suction motor has a length between an inlet end and an opposed end of the suction motor and the length of the suction motor is proximate the length of the finger gap.

3. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the handgrip portion extends upwardly and forwardly from a rearmost portion of the handgrip to a forward most portion of the handgrip and the suction motor axis of rotation extends upwardly and forwardly from a rearmost portion of the suction motor to a forward most portion of the suction motor.

4. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hand grip portion has an axis, the suction motor has an axis, and the hand grip portion axis and the suction motor axis are generally parallel.

5. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation extends at an angle of from about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees to the vertical axis.

6. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor air inlet at an upper end thereof.

7. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the handle is mounted to upper and lower portions of the body and the handle is provided at a rear end of the body.

8. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirty air inlet has an inlet axis which intersects the suction motor.

9. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus is a hand vacuum cleaner.

10. A hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a body having a suction motor housing which houses a suction motor and comprising a handle;

(b) the handle having a handgrip portion that extends upwardly from a rearmost portion of the handgrip to a forward most portion of the handgrip when the surface cleaning apparatus is disposed on a horizontal surface, wherein the handle and a rear surface of the suction motor housing define a finger gap in which a user may place the user'"'"'s fingers while gripping the handle;

(c) the suction motor having an axis of rotation;

(d) an air treatment member mounted to the body and having a central longitudinal axis and an openable door; and

,

(e) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including the suction motor and the air treatment member,

wherein the dirty air inlet comprises an inlet conduit that has an inlet axis which intersects the handgrip portion, the inlet conduit is provided at an upper end of the hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus.

11. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the finger gap has a length in the upward direction and the suction motor has a length between an inlet end and an opposed end of the suction motor and the length of the suction motor is proximate the length of the finger gap.

12. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the handgrip portion extends upwardly and forwardly from a rearmost portion of the handgrip to a forward most portion of the handgrip and the suction motor axis of rotation extends upwardly and forwardly from a rearmost portion of the suction motor to a forward most portion of the suction motor.

13. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the hand grip portion has an axis, the suction motor has an axis, and the hand grip portion axis and the suction motor axis are generally parallel.

14. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation extends at an angle of from about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees to the vertical axis.

15. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor air inlet at an upper end thereof.

16. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the handle is mounted to upper and lower portions of the body and the handle is provided at a rear end of the body.

17. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the dirty air inlet has an inlet axis which intersects the suction motor.

18. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus is a hand vacuum cleaner.

19. The hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the inlet conduit remains in position when the door is opened.