Vacuum Having Accessory Storage Features

• US 20080115311A1
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheddy, Gregg L., DiPasquale, Kathy E., Maid, Spencer G., Wright, Stuart J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0027 specially adapted for holding the suction cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

A vacuum including a housing, a suction device disposed within the housing, a plurality of accessories operable to engage the suction device, a plurality of wheels mounted to the housing and at least one bumper disposed on the housing. The at least one bumper includes a retaining feature operable to store at least one of the accessories, and the at least one bumper is operable to protect at least one of the wheels to minimize damage thereto. At least one pocket is defined by the bumper. The pocket is adapted to store at least one of the accessories.

Claims

1. A vacuum comprising:

a housing;

a suction device disposed within said housing,

wherein said suction device is adapted for fluid communication with at least one attachment;

at least one bumper; and

at least one pocket defined by said at least one bumper,

wherein said pocket is operable to retain a substantial portion of said at least one attachment within the profile of said bumper.

2. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one bumper is mounted to said housing and extending laterally from said housing so as to be operable to shield a wheel mounted to said housing.

3. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one bumper is adapted to retain a floor nozzle disposed against said housing.

4. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment is adapted to slidably engage said at least one pocket.

5. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment is at least one of an extension wand, a floor nozzle, or a crevasse tool.

6. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment is a crevasse tool adapted to be stored within at least one of an extension wand and said at least one pocket.

7. A vacuum comprising:

a housing;

a suction device disposed within said housing;

at least one attachment,

wherein said suction device is adapted for fluid communication with said at least one attachment; and

at least one bumper disposed on said housing,

wherein said at least one bumper is operable to retain said at least one attachment.

8. The vacuum according to claim 7, including a plurality of attachments, wherein at least one of said plurality of attachments is in fluid communication with said suction device, and at least another of said plurality of attachments is engaged with said at least one bumper.

9. The vacuum according to claim 7, wherein said at least one bumper defines a pocket to receive said at least one attachment.

10. The vacuum according to claim 7, wherein said at least one attachment is slidably engaged with said bumper.

11. The vacuum according to claim 7, wherein at least a portion of said at least one attachment is disposed substantially within a profile of said bumper.

12. The vacuum according to claim 7, wherein said at least one attachment is an extension wand.

13. The vacuum according to claim 7, wherein said at least one attachment is a crevasse tool.

14. The vacuum according to claim 7, wherein said at least one attachment includes at least one floor nozzle.

15. The vacuum according to claim 14, wherein said at least one floor nozzle is retained by a retention feature disposed on said at least one bumper.

16. The vacuum according to claim 15, wherein said at least one floor nozzle is disposed substantially flush against said housing.

17. The vacuum according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of attachments, wherein at least one of said attachments is adapted to slidably engage said at least one bumper.

18. A vacuum accessory retention system comprising:

a housing;

at least one bumper disposed on said housing,

wherein at least one pocket is defined by said at least one bumper;

said at least one pocket is adapted to receive at least one accessory; and

at least one of said at least one bumper includes a retention feature adapted to retain another accessory.

19. The vacuum accessory retention system according to claim 18, wherein a substantial portion of said at least one accessory is retained within a profile of said bumper.

20. The vacuum accessory retention system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one accessory is slidably received within said bumper.

21. The vacuum accessory retention system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one bumper is fixedly mounted to said housing.

22. A vacuum comprising:

a housing;

a suction device disposed within said housing;

a plurality of accessories operable to fluidly communicate with said suction device;

a plurality of wheels mounted to said housing;

at least one bumper disposed on said housing,

wherein said at least one bumper includes a retention feature operable to store at least one of said plurality of accessories, and at least one of said at least one bumper is operable to protect at least one of said wheels to minimize damage thereto; and

at least one pocket defined by said at least one bumper,

wherein said pocket is adapted to store at least one of said accessories.

23. The vacuum according to claim 22, wherein said plurality of accessories include at least one of an extension wand, a floor nozzle, or a crevasse tool.

24. The vacuum according to claim 22, wherein a substantial portion of each of said plurality of accessories are retained within a profile of said at least one bumper to reduce an overall footprint of the vacuum.

25. A vacuum comprising:

a housing;

a suction device disposed within said housing;

a frame having a plurality of wheels mounted thereto and including an aperture adapted to removably receive said housing therein, said frame having a handle attached thereto.