Cordless vacuum cleaner storing and recharging system

• US 4,225,814 A
• Filed: 08/11/1978
• Issued: 09/30/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pugh, Timothy G., Karasa, Alvydas P., Gantz, Carroll M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/932,761
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 15/DIG. 1, 30/DIG. 1, 339/119 C
• US Class Current: 320/115
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/01 Rechargeable batter

Abstract

A storing and recharging base for a cordless electric vacuum cleaner of the type which includes an elongated housing having an electric motor and fan and rechargeable batteries therein. The base has a flat bottom and key slots so that it can rest on a horizontal flat surface or be hung on a wall. The base has an upper surface contoured generally complementary to the lower surface of the vacuum cleaner housing, and has a pocket at one end which receives a nose portion of the vacuum cleaner, and a spring at the other end which releasably engages in a recess in the vacuum cleaner so that the vacuum cleaner can be stored on a horizontal surface, e.g. on a counter top or shelf, or in a drawer, or can conveniently be hung on a wall. The base also has a plug which electrically engages a receptacle in the vacuum cleaner connected to the batteries. A line cord connects the plug to a charger plug which includes a transformer and a plug for insertion into an A.C. outlet so that the batteries can be continuously recharged when the vacuum cleaner is stored on the base. The base is formed with wireways in which the line cord can be wrapped to vary the length of the line cord extending from the base.

Claims

1. A storing and recharging device for hand-held cordless electric vacuum cleaner comprising an elongated base adapted to rest on or against a flat surface and having an upper surface contoured to receive and support said vacuum cleaner, said base having means cooperatively engageable with said vacuum cleaner to releasably retain said vacuum cleaner thereon, said base having plug means extending outwardly of its upper surface, said plug means including a pair of generally parallel, spaced plug terminals, insulating means extending outwardly of said base upper surface and between said terminals, said insulating means extending outwardly beyond said terminals, an electric line cord connected at one end to said plug means and extending outwardly of the bottom of said base and adapted to connect to a standard A.C. outlet.

2. A storing and recharging base for use with a hand-held cordless electric vacuum cleaner of the type which include an elongated housing and closing an electric motor and fan, a handle forming part of said housing and enclosing rechargeable battery means for powering said motor, electrical receptacle means positioned inwardly of the bottom of said housing and including a pair of spaced spring contacts electrically connected to said battery means, said housing including an elongated hollow bowl having a forward nose portion provided with an inlet opening communicated with said fan and adapted to receive and entrap dirt drawn inwardly through said opening;

said base comprising an elongated base member having a flat bottom adapted to rest against a flat surface, and an upper surface shaped to support a bottom surface of said vacuum cleaner, said elongated base member including means to releasably retain said vacuum cleaner on said elongated base member, said elongated base member further having plug means including a pair of spaced plug terminals extending outwardly of its upper surface and an engageable with said spring contacts in said vacuum cleaner when it is in a position on said elongated base member, insulating ribs extending outwardly of said upper surface between and adjacent said plug terminals, said ribs engaging and extending outwardly beyond said terminals.

3. A storing and recharging device for a hand-held cordless electric vacuum cleaner comprising an elongated base adapted to rest on or against a flat surface and having an upper surface contoured to receive and support said vacuum cleaner, said base having an upstanding member forming a pocket adapted to receive a portion of said vacuum cleaner, and resilient means adapted to engage another portion of said vacuum cleaner to releasably retain said vacuum cleaner thereon, said base having plug means extending outwardly of its upper surface, an electric line cord connected at one end to said plug means and extending outwardly of the bottom of said base, a plug at the other end of said cord adapted to connect said cord to a standard A.C. outlet, said base having wireway means formed in its bottom in which selected lengths of said line cord can be positioned, said wireway means including a plurality of spaced ribs forming recesses in the bottom of said base, said line cord adapted to fit in said recesses, whereby the length of the line cord extending from said base may be varied.

4. The invention claimed in claim 3, said base having a peripheral skirt around its bottom which defines a cavity in said bottom in which said wireway means is enclosed, said skirt having a plurality of slots spaced there around for selective exiting of said line cord.

5. The invention claimed in claim 4 said ribs including sets of ribs disposed at longitudinally spaced locations of said base, said wireway means also including a plurality of spaced posts within said cavity and disposed laterally of said ribs, said line cord adapted to fit between said posts.

6. The invention claimed in claim 5, said skirt, ribs, and posts having outer surfaces which are substantially coplanar.