Vacuum cleaner including a surface cleaning head having a display

• US 10,582,823 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2018
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TTi (Macao Commercial Offshore) Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: TTi (Macao Commercial Offshore) Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Hooley, Bradley, Shrader, Benjamin, Rukavina, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding, David
• Application Number:
  US15/910,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20180249875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 15319
• 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 5/26 with driven dust-loosening tools
• 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 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/248 Parts, details or accessories of hoses or pipes nozzles A47L9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2868 Arrangements for power supply of vacuum cleaners or the accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a surface cleaning head, a pivot assembly pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head such that the pivot assembly is pivotable relative to the surface cleaning head, and a canister assembly coupled to the pivot assembly such that the canister assembly is supported above the surface cleaning head. The pivot assembly pivotally couples to the surface cleaning head such that the pivot assembly is pivotable relative to the surface cleaning head. The canister assembly includes an electrical source connector configured to connect to a power source. The electrical source connector is electrically connected to a plurality of electrical components via a pivot assembly electrical connection. The surface cleaning head further includes an appliance board having an appliance controller, a display board having a display, and a floor-type sensor, each of which being one of the plurality of electrical components.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a surface cleaning head including a dirty air inlet and a plurality of electrical components;

a pivot assembly pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head such that the pivot assembly is pivotable relative to the surface cleaning head, the pivot assembly including a pivot assembly electrical connection being electrically connected to the plurality of electrical components of the surface cleaning head;

a canister assembly coupled to the pivot assembly such that the canister assembly is supported above the surface cleaning head, the canister assembly including an electrical source connector configured to connect to a power source, the canister assembly further including a dirt separation unit and a suction source electrically connected to the electrical source connector and in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the dirt separation unit, the electrical source connector being electrically connected to the plurality of electrical components via the pivot assembly electrical connection; and

a cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirt separation unit and removably coupled to the pivot assembly, the cleaning wand including a handle and a cleaning wand electrical connector, the cleaning wand received within the interior of the pivot assembly to removably couple the cleaning wand to the pivot assembly to place the cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and to removably electrically connect the cleaning wand electrical connector to the pivot assembly electrical connection;

wherein the surface cleaning head further includes an appliance board having an appliance controller, a display board having a display, and a floor-type sensor, each of which being one of the plurality of electrical components, the floor-type sensor and the display being in electrical communication with the appliance controller, and wherein the display of the surface cleaning head displays an indicator responsive to the floor-type sensor;

wherein the cleaning wand electrical connector is electrically connected to the pivot assembly electrical connection to provide power to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head from the power source.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the indicator of the surface cleaning head includes a word or symbol integral with an outer surface of the surface cleaning head when the indicator is responsive to the floor-type sensor and substantially not visible when the indicator is not responsive to the floor-type sensor.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a flexible hose connecting the dirt separation unit and the wand, the flexible hose including a helical spring wire, and a power wire, a ground wire, and a communication wire helically arranged adjacent the spring wire.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the pivot assembly electrical connection further includes an electrical connector including a power terminal, a ground terminal, and a communication terminal, and wherein the cleaning wand electrical connector includes a power terminal, a ground terminal, and a communication terminal.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the floor-type sensor includes a pressure sensor.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the floor-type sensor includes multiple sensors.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the floor-type sensor includes a pressure sensor and a brushroll motor current sensor.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical components further includes a brushroll motor.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein the surface cleaning head includes a brushroll, wherein the motor is operable to move the brushroll relative to the dirty air inlet.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the display includes an LED positioned in a box that is sealed against the inside of an outer housing of the surface cleaning head.