METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING PIVOT MOTION OF A HANDLE IN A FLOOR TREATMENT DEVICE
First Claim
1. A floor treatment device, comprising:
- a base having a floor treatment portion arranged to treat a floor;
a handle portion having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending generally in a direction between the proximal end and the distal end, the proximal end including a gripping portion arranged to be gripped by a human hand, the distal end being attached to the base, at least a part of the handle portion including the gripping portion being pivotally movable about a rotation axis relative to the base between at least first and second positions, the longitudinal axis being non-vertical when the handle portion is in the first position, and the rotation axis lying in a vertical plane that includes the longitudinal axis when the handle portion is in the first position; and
a pivot assist device that is out of contact with a floor or other surface apart from the floor treatment device, the pivot assist device arranged to apply a bias to the handle portion that urges the part of the handle portion to move from the second position to the first position.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for influencing movement of a handle of a floor treatment device, such as a vacuum. The floor treatment device may include a handle portion that is attached to a base, which includes a floor treatment portion. The handle portion may be pivotally movable about a rotation axis relative to the base between at least first and second positions, where the rotation axis lies in a vertical plane that includes a longitudinal axis of the handle when the handle portion is in the first position and the longitudinal axis is a non-vertical position. A pivot assist device may apply a bias to the handle portion that urges the handle portion to move from the second position to the first position, e.g., to help support the weight of the handle when a user steers the floor treatment device across a floor.
112 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A floor treatment device, comprising:
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a base having a floor treatment portion arranged to treat a floor; a handle portion having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending generally in a direction between the proximal end and the distal end, the proximal end including a gripping portion arranged to be gripped by a human hand, the distal end being attached to the base, at least a part of the handle portion including the gripping portion being pivotally movable about a rotation axis relative to the base between at least first and second positions, the longitudinal axis being non-vertical when the handle portion is in the first position, and the rotation axis lying in a vertical plane that includes the longitudinal axis when the handle portion is in the first position; and a pivot assist device that is out of contact with a floor or other surface apart from the floor treatment device, the pivot assist device arranged to apply a bias to the handle portion that urges the part of the handle portion to move from the second position to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16-31. -31. (canceled)
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32. A floor treatment device, comprising:
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a handle portion having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending generally in a direction between the proximal end and the distal end, the proximal end including a gripping portion arranged to be gripped by a human hand, and the distal end having a first coupling, the handle portion including a dirt canister and a fan that moves air through the dirt canister; a base having a floor treatment portion that is fluidly coupled to the dirt canister and the fan to apply suction created by the fan to a floor, the base having a second coupling engaged with the first coupling such that the handle portion is pivotable about a rotation axis relative to the base between at least first and second positions, the rotation axis having a vertical component and lying in a vertical plane that includes the longitudinal axis when the handle portion is in the first position; and a pivot assist device including a cam attached to the first or second coupling and a cam follower attached to the other of the first or second coupling, the cam follower engaging with the cam so as to apply a bias to the handle portion that urges the handle portion to move from the second position to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for operating a floor treatment device, comprising:
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providing a floor treatment device including a handle portion and a base coupled to the handle portion such that the handle portion is pivotable about a rotation axis relative to the base between at least first and second positions, the base having a floor treatment portion arranged to treat a floor and the handle portion having a longitudinal axis; rotating the handle portion about the rotation axis relative to the base from a first position, in which the longitudinal axis of the handle portion is not vertical, to a second position, the rotation axis lying in a vertical plane that includes the longitudinal axis when the handle portion is in the first position; and applying a bias from the base to the handle portion that urges the handle portion to move from the second position to the first position.
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37-52. -52. (canceled)
Specification