Vacuum cleaner and suction nozzle employed therein

• US 20030217431A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Masaki, Fujita, Koichi, Uratani, Hiroyuki, Shibuya, Masaki, Senoo, Hiroyuki, Soejima, Masakuni, Fukushima, Masaichi, Imai, Hidetoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/328
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/06 with fixed, e.g. adjustably fixed brushes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/062 Rigidly anchored edge brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/066 with adjustably mounted brushes, combs, lips or pads; Height adjustment of nozzle or dust loosening tools for suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casing A47L5/34
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0673 with removable brushes, combs, lips or pads
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays

Abstract

A suction nozzle for use in a vacuum cleaner includes a floor nozzle and a mini nozzle having a suction head, a rotatable joint, and joint, to be detachably secured in the floor nozzle. Either of the suction head and the rotatable joint or the rotatable joint and the joint is vertically joined and the other rotatably joined. Moreover, the suction head is unrotatably secured onto the floor nozzle, and forms an air communication with the floor nozzle.

Claims

1. A suction nozzle for use in an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle; and

a mini nozzle detachably secured to the floor nozzle, the mini nozzle including a suction head, a joint, and an extension tube,

wherein either the suction head and the joint or the joint and the extension tube is coupled allowing a vertical motion and the other is rotatably coupled, and wherein the suction head is unrotatably secured onto the floor nozzle while forming an air communication with the floor nozzle.

2. The suction nozzle of claim 1, further comprising a rotational locking member for locking motion of the joint of either the suction head and the joint or the joint and the extension tube when the mini nozzle is disengaged from the floor nozzle.

3. The suction nozzle of claim 1, wherein the mini nozzle has a suction opening forming an air communication with the floor nozzle on at least one of end portion or the bottom surface thereof.

4. The suction nozzle of claim 1, wherein an end portion and a bottom surface of the mini nozzle are respectively provided with a suction opening, at least one of the suction openings forming an air communication with the floor nozzle, and the suction opening of the end portion being closed while the mini nozzle is disengaged from the floor nozzle.

5. The suction nozzle of claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of the mini nozzle is formed into a shape of nearly an arc, and a suction opening is formed on a side of the arc shaped surface.

6. The suction nozzle of claim 5, wherein on both sides of the suction opening, a member formed of raised blanket is provided thereon.

7. The suction nozzle of claim 1, further comprising a compartment, provided in the floor nozzle for holding the mini nozzle and a mechanism, provided in the compartment for engaging and disengaging the mini nozzle to and from the floor nozzle.

8. The suction nozzle of claim 7, further comprising a release lever for releasing the mini nozzle from the floor nozzle.

9. The suction nozzle of claim 1, wherein the floor nozzle includes a rotational brush run by a motor and a power receiving contact point from the motor, and at a position on the mini nozzle corresponding thereto, a power feeding contact point electrically connected with a main body of the vacuum cleaner is provided.

10. A suction nozzle for use in an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle having an elongated suction inlet and a drive portion protruding from approximately the center of the elongated suction inlet toward the rear; and

a mini nozzle detachably secured to the floor nozzle,

wherein the mini nozzle long in the longitudinal direction is detachably aligned with a recess provided along the suction inlet and the drive portion of the floor nozzle, while forming an air communication with the floor nozzle.

11. The suction nozzle of claim 10, wherein the mini nozzle includes a suction head, a joint, and an extension tube, wherein either the suction head and the joint or the joint and the extension tube is coupled allowing a vertical motion and the other is rotatably coupled, and the suction head is detachably aligned with the recess.

12. The suction nozzle of claim 10, further comprising a rotational locking member for locking motion of the joint of either the suction head and the joint or the joint and the extension tube when the mini nozzle is disengaged from the floor nozzle.

13. The suction nozzle of claim 10, wherein the mini nozzle has a suction opening forming an air communication with the floor nozzle on at least one of end portion or the bottom surface thereof.

14. The suction nozzle of claim 10, wherein an end portion and a bottom surface of the mini nozzle are respectively provided with a suction opening, at least one of the suction openings forming an air communication with the floor nozzle, and the suction opening of the end portion being closed while the mini nozzle is disengaged from the floor nozzle.

15. The suction nozzle of claim 10, wherein a bottom surface of the mini nozzle is formed into a shape of nearly an arc, and a suction opening is formed on a side of the arc shaped surface.

16. The suction nozzle of claim 15, wherein on both sides of the suction opening, a member formed of raised blanket is provided thereon.

17. The suction nozzle of claim 10, further comprising a compartment, provided in the floor nozzle for holding the mini nozzle and a mechanism, provided in the compartment for engaging and disengaging the mini nozzle to and from the floor nozzle.

18. The suction nozzle of claim 17, further comprising a release lever for releasing the mini nozzle from the floor nozzle.

19. The suction nozzle of claim 10, wherein the floor nozzle includes a rotational brush run by a motor and a power receiving contact point from the motor, and at a position on the mini nozzle corresponding thereto, a power feeding contact point electrically connected with a main body of the vacuum cleaner is provided.

20. An electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:

an electric blower for creating a suction;

a floor nozzle communicated with the electric blower, for suctioning dirt on a surface to be cleaned;

a mini nozzle detachably secured on the floor nozzle for suctioning dirt on the surface to be cleaned;

a sensing means for detecting whether or not the mini nozzle is engaged in the floor nozzle; and

a control means for controlling the power consumption of the electric blower,

wherein the control means controls the power consumption of the electric blower according to the output of the sensing means.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein when the mini nozzle is disengaged from the floor nozzle, the power consumption of the electric blower is raised by the control means.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein when the mini nozzle is disengaged from the floor nozzle, the power consumption of the electric blower is reduced by the control means.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein the floor nozzle includes a rotational brush for sweeping dirt on the surface to be cleaned and a motor for providing rotation to the brush, and wherein when the mini nozzle is disengaged from the floor nozzle, the rotational brush is stopped.