Electric vacuum cleaner

• US 20040250376A1
• Filed: 12/01/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twinbird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Twinbird Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Takeshi, Hori, Masahiko, Ogawa, Toshiaki, Inoue, Mineyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,150,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/403
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/256 for mops made of cloth
• 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 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00

Abstract

An electric vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly 5 including: a base member 6; a movable member 7 inversely rotatably attached to the base member 6 and having one surface formed with a suction opening 20; and a covering member 8 movably attached to the base member 6. Holding members 22 for holding a cleaning sheet 21 are formed on the other surface of the movable member 7. When the one surface of the movable member 7 faces a floor surface and the other surface thereof is covered by the covering member 8, the electric vacuum cleaner can pick up filths through the suction opening 20. When the movable member 7 is rotated inversely so that the cleaning sheet 21 faces the floor surface, the electric vacuum cleaner can catch the filth by the cleaning sheet 21 and pick up the relatively large filth via a communicating path 34 formed in between the movable member 7 and the covering member 8, and the suction opening 20 connected to the communicating path 34.

Claims

1. An electric vacuum cleaner having a cleaner main body including an electric fan unit therein, and a nozzle assembly connected to said cleaner body, said nozzle assembly comprising:

a base member;

a movable member rotatably attached to said base member, said movable member being rotatable inversely relative to said base member; and

a covering member movably attached to said base member, said covering member covering said movable member from above;

wherein a suction opening is formed on one surface of said movable member, and a plurality of holding members are formed on arbitrary portions in the other surface of said movable member, said other surface locating at opposite side to the one surface.

2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a gap is formed in between said movable member and said covering member so that a communicating path communicates a lower portion in one end of said movable member with said suction opening when one surface of said movable member face upwards.

3. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said covering member comprises:

a cover for covering the one surface or the other surface of said movable member; and

a pair of arms having one end and the other end, the one end movably attached to said base member and the other end fixed to said cover,

said pair of arms allowing said cover to move to above the one surface or the other surface of said movable member in order to allow the inverse rotation of said movable member for changing a subject to be covered.

4. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein:

the other surface of said movable member has a rectangular shape, while said plurality of holding members are formed at four corners of the other surface; and

wherein said cleaning sheet covers the other surface of said movable member entirely while being held by said plurality of holding members.

5. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said nozzle assembly further comprises a second cover having essentially same shape and essentially same size as the other surface of said movable member and openably-and-closably attached to said base such that said cleaning sheet is placed so as to cover both the one surface and the other surface of said second cover and held between said movable member and said second cover with said second cover being closed.

6. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said nozzle assembly further comprises a plurality of rollers for reducing a friction generated when said nozzle assembly moves onto a floor surface.

7. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said movable member further comprises an inward flange and a first circular groove, while said base member further comprises a second circular groove whose outside diameter is the same as an inside diameter of said inward flange, and an outward flange whose outside diameter is the same as an outside diameter of the first circular groove, said inward flange being fitted loosely into said second circular groove while said first circular groove being fitted loosely into said outward flange so that said movable member is attached to said base member in an inversely rotatable manner.