Quick release power cord wrap for canister vacuum cleaner

• US 4,658,465 A
• Filed: 06/07/1985
• Issued: 04/21/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Keane, James W., Martin, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US06/742,712
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 15/323, 15/327 R, 15/327 E, 24/230.5, 191/12 R, 242/85.1
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/26 Incorporation of winding devices for electric cables devices specially adapted for repeatedly paying-out or re-storing cables B65H75/34; arrangements of electrical cables or lines between relatively-movable parts H02G11/00

Abstract

A quick release power cord wrap and caster for a canister vacuum cleaner. The caster assembly includes a hook for supporting or retaining a plurality of power cord turns is stored position on the canister. A hook is movable to release the cord and, in the illustrated embodiment, the hook is pivotable on the caster. The hook has a toggle action for locking the power cord in the stored arrangement. In addition, the hook and canister body are provided with shoulders for providing an augmented locking of the hook in the cord stored position. The caster assembly and canister body are arranged to permit snap-fastening of the caster assembly to the canister body without need for separate metal fasteners and the like. The caster assembly itself is arranged to have the portions thereof snap-fastened together without the use of separate metal fasteners.

Claims

1. In an electrically operable appliance having a housing, first wheel means on the housing, and a flexible electrical power cord extending outwardly from the housing for use in providing electrical power to the appliance, the improvement comprising:

second wheel means on the housing for cooperation with said first wheel means for providing a wheeled support of said appliance in use;

means on the housing defining a first cord wrap support; and

second means on said second wheel means defining a second cord wrap support, said first and second cord wrap supports cooperatively defining oppositely outwardly facing surfaces about which said power cord may be wrapped for removably retaining said power cord in a stored condition when said appliance is not in use.

3. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 1 wherein said first cord wrap support is fixedly mounted to said housing.

4. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 1 wherein said first cord wrap support is fixedly mounted to said housing adjacent said first wheel means.

2. In an electrically operable appliance having a housing, first wheel means on the housing, and a flexible electrical power cord extending outwardly from the housing for use in providing electrical power to the appliance, the improvement comprising;

second wheel means on the housing for cooperation with said first wheel means for providing a wheeled support of said appliance in use;

means on the housing defining a first cord wrap support; and

second means on said second wheel means defining a second cord wrap support, said first and second cord wrap supports cooperatively defining means for removably retaining said power cord in a stored condition when said appliance is not in use, said housing and said second wheel means defining integral snap-fitted interconnection means for providing maintained assembly thereof.

5. In an electrically operable appliance having a housing, first wheel means on the housing, and a flexible electrical power cord extending outwardly from the housing for use in providing electrical power to the appliance, the improvement comprising;

second wheel means on the housing for cooperation with said first wheel means for providing a wheeled support of said appliance in use;

means on the housing defining a first cord wrap support; and

second means on said second wheel means defining a second cord wrap support, said first and second cord wrap supports cooperatively defining means for removably retaining said power cord in a stored condition when said appliance is not in use, further including means for positioning said second cord wrap support on said second wheel means selectively in a first, cord transfer position and a second, cord wrap retaining position.

6. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 5 further including means for releasably retaining the second cord wrap support in said second position.

7. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 5 wherein said means for releasably retaining the second cord wrap support in said second position comprises cooperating releasably locking means on said housing and second cord wrap support.

8. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 5 wherein said means for releasably retaining the second cord wrap support in said second position comprises means for selectively disposing said second cord wrap support in an overcenter disposition.

9. In an electrically operable appliance having a housing, first wheel means on the housing, and a flexible electrical power cord extending outwardly from the housing for use in providing electrical power to the appliance, the improvement comprising;

second wheel means on the housing for cooperation with said first wheel means for providing a wheeled support of said appliance in use;

means on the housing defining a first cord wrap support; and

second means on said second wheel means defining a second cord wrap support, said first and second cord wrap supports cooperatively defining means for removably retaining said power cord in a stored condition when said appliance is not in use, said second cord wrap support being pivotally mounted to said second wheel means.

10. In an electrically operable appliance having a housing, first wheel means on the housing, and a flexible electrical power cord extending outwardly from the housing for use in providing electrical power to the appliance, the improvement comprising:

second wheel means on the housing for cooperation with said first wheel means for providing a wheeled support of said appliance in use, said second wheel means defining a frame movably mounted to said housing and defining a pair of spaced wheel mounts having opposed aligned openings and a wheel having oppositely projecting axles received one each in said openings;

means on the housing defining a first cord wrap support; and

means on said second wheel means defining a second cord wrap support, said first and second cord wrap support cooperatively defining means for retaining said power cord wrapped thereabout when said appliance is not in use, said second cord wrap support defining opposed pivot portions pivotally received one each in said openings outwardly of said axles.

11. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 10 wherein said second wheel means defines guide surface means for guiding said wheel axles into said openings during assembly of the wheel to the spaced wheel mounts.

12. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 10 wherein said second wheel means defines guide slot means for guiding said wheel axles into said openings during assembly of the wheel to the spaced wheel mounts.

13. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 10 wherein said second wheel means defines guide means for guiding said pivot portions of the second cord wrap support into said openings during assembly of the second cord wrap support to said frame.

14. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 10 wherein said second wheel means defines a frustoconical guide surface concentrically of each opening for guiding said pivot portions of the second cord wrap support into said openings during assembly of the second cord wrap support to said frame.

15. In an electrically operable appliance having a housing, first wheel means on the housing, and a flexible electrical power cord extending outwardly from the housing for use in providing electrical power to the appliance, the improvement comprising:

second wheel means on the housing for cooperation with said first wheel means for providing a wheeled support of said appliance in use, said second wheel means defining a mounting frame;

means on the housing defining a first cord wrap support; and

means on said second wheel means defining a second cord wrap support, said first and second cord wrap supports cooperatively defining means for retaining said power cord wrapped thereabout when said appliance is not in use, said second cord wrap support comprising an L-shaped cord retainer having a pair of first legs mounted to said mounting frame for pivoting about a pivot axis, and a second leg defining with said first legs a cord-receiving recess opening away from said firs cord wrap support means, said cord retainer being selectively pivotally positionable in a cord-retaining position wherein a line from said recess to said first cord-retaining means lies between said pivot axis and said housing, and in a cord transfer position wherein a line through said pivot axis to said first cord-retaining means lies between said recess and said housing.

16. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 15 wherein said mounting frame defines a wall mounted to said housing for swivelling about a swivel axis, said recess opening toward said wall in said cord-retaining position of said cord retainer whereby a portion of said wall defines a boundary of said recess.

17. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 15 wherein cooperating means are providing on said mounting frame and cord retainer for releasably locking said cord retainer in said cord-retaining position.

18. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 15 wherein each of said first legs defines a concave edge defining an end of said recess.

19. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 15 wherein said second leg defines a turned distal end portion.

20. The electrically operable appliance structure of claim 15 wherein said second support wheel means includes a caster wheel rotatable about a wheel axis coinciding with said cord retainer pivot axis.

21. In an electrically operable appliance having a housing, first wheel means on the housing, and a flexible electrical power cord extending outwardly from the housing for use in providing electrical power to the appliance, the improvement comprising:

second wheel means on the housing for cooperation with said first wheel means for providing a wheeled support of said appliance in use;

means comprising a hook formed on the housing defining a first cord wrap support; and

means comprising a pivotable hook formed on said second support wheel means defining a second cord wrap support, said second cord wrap support having a toggle action for locking the power cord in a retained disposition, said first and second cord wrap support means cooperatively defining means for retaining said power cord wrapped thereabout when said appliance is not in use.