Floor cleaning apparatus with pivotal handle

• US 20040261211A1
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Crouch, James T., Overvaag, Chad D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/327.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/327 for suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing

Abstract

A floor care apparatus has a handle, connected to a hose, that pivots about an axis substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a terminal end of the hose. In this manner, the hose experiences less mechanical stress during use and, when embodied on a canister vacuum cleaner, a nozzle assembly connected to the handle has less tendency to tip over. Preferably, the hose has a cuff mounted at the terminal end with a hose insert therein. The hose insert has two stub shafts on opposing sides of an opening that form a journal defining the handle pivoting axis. The handle has two mating sections that clamshell about the journal and pinch it in place. Each mating section has a bearing surface for receipt of the journal and, when embodied as a cylinder, terminal ends of the journal become inserted therein.

Claims

1. A floor care apparatus, comprising:

a hose having a longitudinal axis at a terminal end thereof; and

a handle connected to the terminal end that pivots about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis.

2. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hose has a cuff mounted at the terminal end.

3. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein a hose insert mounts within the terminal end.

4. The floor care apparatus of claim 3, wherein the hose insert includes a journal defining the axis.

5. The floor care apparatus of claim 4, wherein the handle includes two mating sections each having a bearing surface, the bearing surfaces pinching the journal when the two mating sections are joined together.

6. A floor care apparatus, comprising:

a base assembly;

a flexible hose, having a longitudinal axis at a terminal end thereof, connected to the base assembly;

a nozzle assembly;

a wand connected to the nozzle assembly; and

a handle connected to the wand and pivotally connected to the flexible hose such that the handle pivots about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis.

7. The floor care apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flexible hose has a cuff mounted at the terminal end.

8. The floor care apparatus of claim 7, wherein a hose insert mounts within the cuff.

9. The floor care apparatus of claim 8, wherein the hose insert includes a journal defining the axis.

10. The floor care apparatus of claim 9, wherein the handle includes two mating sections each having a bearing surface.

11. The floor care apparatus of claim 10, wherein the bearing surfaces pinch the journal when the two mating sections are joined together.

12. A canister vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a base assembly;

a flexible hose having a cuff and a hose insert therein connected to the, base assembly, the cuff having a longitudinal axis and the hose insert having a journal defining an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

a nozzle assembly;

a wand connected to the nozzle assembly; and

a handle connected at one end to the wand and at another end pivotally connected to the journal such that the handle pivots about the axis.

13. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the hose insert has an opening in fluid communication with the nozzle assembly.

14. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the hose insert has a cutout region facilitating a wire.

15. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the handle has two mating sections each having a bearing surface, the bearing surfaces pinching the journal when the two mating sections are joined together.

16. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein one of the bearing surfaces includes a cylinder and the journal has a cylinder terminal end, an inner diameter of the cylinder being larger than an outer diameter of the cylinder terminal end.

17. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein the cylinder terminal end is inserted into the cylinder.

18. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the two mating sections clamshell about the journal.

19. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the journal embodies two stub shafts on opposite sides of the hose insert.

20. The canister vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein each of the two stub shafts insert into a cylinder of the handle.