SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS WITH DIFFERENT CLEANING CONFIGURATIONS

• US 20110314629A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/323
• 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 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, a surface cleaning head having the dirty air inlet, a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head, the support structure comprising a cleaning unit The cleaning unit comprises a suction motor and an air treatment member positioned in the air flow path The cleaning unit is removably mountable wherein the cleaning unit is retained on the support structure when in a storage position under the influence of gravity.

Claims

1. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

(b) a surface cleaning head having the dirty air inlet;

(c) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head; and

,

(d) a cleaning unit comprising a suction motor and an air treatment member, and the cleaning unit is positioned in the air flow path and removably mountable wherein the cleaning unit is retained on the support structure when in a freely removable configuration.

2. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit and the support structure are configured to retain the cleaning unit on the support structure in a storage position under the influence of gravity.

3. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a lock releasably locking the cleaning unit on the support structure and the cleaning unit and the support structure are configured to retain the cleaning unit on the support structure when the lock is in an unlocked position.

4. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit has a bottom and the bottom is spaced from the surface cleaning head when the cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure.

5. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit is supported only by the support structure.

6. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an attachment member, the cleaning unit is removably mountable on a mount provided on the support structure, the attachment member and the mount is configured such that the cleaning unit is removable from the mount in the absence of disengaging a lock.

7. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mount has a first contact member and the attachment member has a second contact member, the second contact member is downwardly slidably engagable with the first contact member and abutment of the first and second contact members restrains movement of the cleaning unit in a forward direction of travel and a direction transverse to the forward direction of travel and the vertical.

8. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one of the contact members includes a cam surface.

9. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein one of the contact members comprises a cam surface and the other of the contact members comprises a cam.

10. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein one of the contact members comprises a pair of opposed spaced apart sides defining a channel between the opposed sides, at least one of the opposed sides having an open portion, and the other of the contact members comprises an abutment member sized to be received in the channel, the abutment member having opposed sidewalls spaced apart by a distance, each sidewall facing one of the opposed sides and a distance between the sidewalls and the opposed facing walls decreases from an upper end of the abutment member to a lower portion of the abutment member.

11. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the open portion comprises a portion of the front of the one of the contact members.

12. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the cleaning unit comprises an attachment member, the second contact member is provided on the attachment and the attachment member extends outwardly through the open portion.

13. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the attachment member is removably mounted on the cleaning unit.

14. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13 wherein the attachment member is removably mounted on the cleaning unit using a complimentary tongue and groove connection.

15. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the attachment member comprises part of an air flow path from the surface cleaning head to the cleaning unit.

16. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein a mount provided on the support structure and the attachment member are configured to retain the cleaning unit on the support structure under the influence of gravity during operation of the upright surface cleaning apparatus.

17. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the attachment member is vertically removable from the support structure.

18. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein an air flow path from the surface cleaning head to the cleaning unit comprises a flexible air flow conduit.

19. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upright surface cleaning apparatus has at least two operating modes comprising:

(i) a first upright operating mode wherein the upright surface cleaning apparatus is operable with the cleaning unit mounted to the support structure and forming part of the air flow path; and

,

(ii) a second operating mode wherein the cleaning unit is operable when removed from the support structure.

20. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 19 wherein, in the second operating mode, the cleaning unit is operable when removed from the support structure and in air communication with the surface cleaning head.

21. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 20 wherein an air flow path from the surface cleaning head to the cleaning unit comprises a flexible air flow conduit.

22. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the cleaning unit is operable when disconnected from the surface cleaning head.

23. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure at a midpoint of the support structure.

24. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises a further portion that also retains the cleaning unit on the support structure.

25. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 24 wherein the further portion is below the first contact member.

26. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 24 wherein the further portion engages a wheel of the cleaning unit.

27. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the attachment member and a mount on the support structure comprise a releasable securing mount and the releasable securing mount further comprises at least one magnet.

28. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit is supported on an airflow conduit of the support structure.