Cleaner Handle and Cleaner Handle Housing Sections

• US 20080301903A1
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cube Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Cube Investments Limited
• Inventors: Arato, Paul, Charlebois, Paul, Babul Rayani, Tasneem, Cunningham, James Vern
• Granted Patent: US 8,516,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/410
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/32 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0044 Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners

Abstract

Handle has status indicators viewable by operator while viewing location being cleaned and using handle in ordinary cleaning position, and light illuminating location being cleaned. Indicators are LED lamps. Light is an LED lamp. Microphone senses particles and illuminates an indicator. Indicators and light are provided in a housing section that forms part of a housing for handle. Housing section may be integrated with the remainder of the housing, or may be unit that fits into remainder of housing. Light has central axis generally parallel, within approximately five degrees from parallel, with cleaning axis of handle. Indicators each have a central axis generally parallel, within approximately 5 degrees from parallel, with cleaning axis of handle. The indicators have limited beam angle. Indicator viewable over grasping section of handle from towards distal end of handle. The cleaner may be a vacuum cleaner, which may be a central vacuum cleaner.

Claims

1. A cleaner handle for use on a cleaner, the handle comprising:

a) a grasping section for manipulating the cleaner,

b) an indicator housing,

c) at least one indicator within the indicator housing, the at least one indicator having a limited viewing angle and a central axis,

wherein the central axis is directed over and across the grasping section such that the indicator is within view of an operator holding the grasping section in an ordinary vacuuming position.

2. The handle of claim 1, wherein the cleaner is a vacuum cleaner.

3. The handle of claim 1, wherein the cleaner is a central vacuum cleaner.

4. The handle of claim 1, wherein the cleaner is a canister vacuum cleaner.

5. The handle of claim 1, wherein the cleaner is an upright vacuum cleaner.

6. The handle of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an LED lamp.

7. The handle of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an LCD display.

8. The handle of claim 1, wherein the central axis of the indicator is generally parallel with a cleaning axis of the handle, the cleaning axis being a line from the handle to a location currently being cleaned by the cleaner.

9. The handle of claim 1, wherein the central axis of the indicator is directed approximately 5 degrees vertically above a cleaning axis of the handle, the cleaning axis being a line from the handle to a location currently being cleaned by the cleaner.

10. The handle of claim 1, further comprising:

a) an illuminator housing, and

b) a light within the illuminator housing, the light for illuminating with visible light an area that is being cleaned with the cleaner.

11. The handle of claim 10, wherein a central beam axis of the light is generally parallel with a cleaning axis of the handle, the cleaning axis being a line from the handle to a location currently being cleaned by the cleaner.

12. The handle of claim 10, wherein a central beam axis of the light is directed within approximately 5 degrees vertically of a cleaning axis of the handle, the cleaning axis being a line from the handle to a location currently being cleaned by the cleaner.

13. The handle of claim 1, further comprising:

a distal end for receiving particles from a location being cleaned, wherein the indicator is located between the distal end and the grasping section.

14. The handle of claim 1, wherein the indicator housing section comprises:

an aperture, and the indicator is viewable through the aperture.

15. The handle of claim 14, wherein the aperture is raised such that the indicator is viewable over a hand of an operator that is grasping the grasping section.

16. The handle of claim 15, further comprising:

a particle sensor for sensing particles flowing through the handle during operation of the cleaner.

17. The handle of claim 16, wherein the particle sensor comprises:

a microphone for sensing sound emitted when particles collide with a conduit in the handle as the particles flow through the cleaner.

18. The handle of claim 17, wherein the conduit is metal.

19. The handle of claim 17, wherein the microphone is held against the conduit by a spring mechanism.

20. The handle of claim 19, wherein the spring mechanism is a biased curved plastic strip.

21. The handle of claim 1, wherein an ordinary vacuuming position includes cleaning a floor when standing.

22. The handle of claim 1, wherein the indicator is within the view of the operator when the operator is viewing a location being cleaned by the cleaner.

25. The handle of claim 1, wherein the central axis of the indicator is directed at least 5 degrees vertically above a cleaning axis of the handle, the cleaning axis being a line from the handle to a location currently being cleaned by the cleaner.

26. The handle of claim 1 wherein the indicator viewing angle is approximately 20°

.

27. The handle of claim 10 wherein the light is one or more LED lamps.

28. The handle of claim 27 wherein each LED lamp has a beam angle of approximately 12°

.

23. A cleaner handle for use on a cleaner, the handle comprising:

a) a grasping section for manipulating the cleaner,

b) an indicator housing,

c) at least one indicator within the indicator housing, the at least one indicator having a limited viewing angle and a central axis,

wherein the central axis is directed over and across the grasping section such that the indicator is within view of an operator holding the grasping section and viewing a location being cleaned by the cleaner.

24. The cleaner handle of claim 23, wherein the view of the operator includes a line to the location that is generally parallel to a cleaning axis of the handle, the cleaning axis being a line between the handle and the location being cleaned.

29. A cleaner handle section for attachment to a housing of a cleaner handle having a grasping section for manipulating the cleaner, the cleaner handle section comprising:

a) an indicator housing section, and

b) at least one indicator within the indicator housing section, the at least one indicator having a limited viewing angle and a central axis,

wherein the central axis is directed over and across the grasping section such that the indicator is within view of an operator holding the grasping section and viewing a location being cleaned by the cleaner.

30. A cleaner handle for use on a cleaner, the handle comprising:

a) a grasping section for manipulating the cleaner,

b) an indicator housing section,

c) at least one indicator within the indicator housing section, the at least one indicator including a lamp for emitting a visible beam of light from the indicator housing with a limited beam angle and a central beam axis,

wherein the central beam axis is directed over and across the grasping section such that the beam is within view of an operator holding the grasping section in an ordinary vacuuming position.

31. The handle of claim 30, wherein the indicator housing section comprises:

an aperture, and the beam of light emits from the aperture.

32. The handle of claim 31, wherein the aperture is raised such that the indicator beam of light emits over a hand of an operator that is grasping the grasping section.

33. The handle of claim 30, wherein the beam of light is within the view of the operator when the operator is viewing a location being cleaned by the cleaner.

34. A cleaner handle for use on a cleaner, the handle comprising:

a) a grasping section for manipulating the cleaner,

b) an indicator housing,

c) at least one indicator within the indicator housing, the at least one indicator including a lamp for emitting a visible beam of light from the indicator housing with a limited beam angle and a central beam axis,

wherein the central beam axis is directed over and across the grasping section such that the beam is within view of an operator holding the grasping section and viewing a location being cleaned by the cleaner.

35. A cleaner handle section for attachment to a housing of a cleaner handle having a grasping section for manipulating the cleaner, the cleaner handle section comprising:

a) an indicator housing section, and

b) at least one indicator within the indicator housing section, the at least one indicator including a lamp for emitting a visible beam of light from the indicator housing section with a limited beam angle and a central beam axis,

wherein the central beam axis is directed over and across the grasping section such that the beam is within view of an operator holding the grasping section and viewing a location being cleaned by the cleaner.