Light plate for vacuum cleaner
First Claim
1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
- a mobile chassis with a suction nozzle located generally along a forward edge thereof on a chassis underside, said mobile chassis being adapted for movement over a floor surface to be cleaned;
a collection bag carried on said chassis;
suction means carried on said chassis for drawing air from said nozzle to said bag, so as to suction dirt and dust adjacent said nozzle into said bag;
a rotatable bar brush journaled generally in said suction nozzle, and removable therefrom for maintenance of said brush; and
illumination means, pivotably mounted on said chassis generally rearward of said bar brush and having a forward free pivoting output edge located substantially along said chassis forward edge whenever said free edge is pivoted into engagement therewith, for illuminating generally in front of said chassis forward edge a floor surface to be cleaned by providing light on such surface from said output edge;
wherein said illumination means may be selectively pivoted upward about the rearward mounting thereof to facilitate removal of said bar brush for maintenance.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner main chassis incorporates a light plate for providing light from a relatively narrow slot extending across the front of the chassis onto a floor surface to be cleaned. The light plate is generally planar and transmits light therethrough within its plane from an input edge of the plate to an opposite output edge thereof. The plate output edge resides in the chassis front slot while the rest of the plate is enclosed within the chassis so that light emerges from the chassis only through its front slot. The slot is relatively close to the floor surface for illuminating an area thereof beginning relatively adjacent the chassis. Lamps located adjacent the relatively rearward input edge of the light plate are thus positioned relatively remote from a suction nozzle and rotatable bar brush located in a forward area of the chassis, which avoids preempting critical space in such area or interfering with operation of such elements. The light plate is also pivotable about an axis located rearwardly of the bar brush, and extends thereacross for pivoting upward to permit access to the bar brush for its removal and maintenance.
35 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
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a mobile chassis with a suction nozzle located generally along a forward edge thereof on a chassis underside, said mobile chassis being adapted for movement over a floor surface to be cleaned; a collection bag carried on said chassis; suction means carried on said chassis for drawing air from said nozzle to said bag, so as to suction dirt and dust adjacent said nozzle into said bag; a rotatable bar brush journaled generally in said suction nozzle, and removable therefrom for maintenance of said brush; and illumination means, pivotably mounted on said chassis generally rearward of said bar brush and having a forward free pivoting output edge located substantially along said chassis forward edge whenever said free edge is pivoted into engagement therewith, for illuminating generally in front of said chassis forward edge a floor surface to be cleaned by providing light on such surface from said output edge; wherein said illumination means may be selectively pivoted upward about the rearward mounting thereof to facilitate removal of said bar brush for maintenance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vacuum cleaner having improved floor illumination features, comprising:
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a main chassis having a lower side to be supported on a floor to be cleaned, and a removable upper cover; a main suction nozzle defined in said chassis lower side and extending laterally across substantially the width of said chassis front; a dirt collection bag carried on said main chassis; suction means for suctioning debris from adjacent said main suction nozzle to said dirt collection bag, said suction means including a vacuum channel interconnecting said nozzle with said bag, and a motorized blower unit associated with said channel for creating therein a flow of air from said nozzle to said bag; a rotatable beater bar brush removably mounted within said vacuum channel relatively adjacent and parallel to said main suction nozzle; a support bracket, pivotably mounted within said chassis beneath said upper cover thereof; a generally planar light plate integrally incorporated into said support bracket, said plate having an output edge positioned generally parallel to, and extending substantially across the width of, said chassis front, and further having an input edge rearward thereof, with light input to said input edge being generally transmitted through the plane of said light plate for emergence from said output edge thereof distributed therealong; and light means, supported on said support bracket adjacent to and rearward of said light plate input edge, for providing input light to said light plate input edge; whereby a floor to be cleaned is illuminated with light transmitted through said light plate, originating from said light means generally rearward therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
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a main chassis having separable upper and lower members; of said chassis lower member; a main suction nozzle defined in said chassis lower member, relatively adjacent to and parallel with said front edge thereof; a relatively narrow lateral slot defined between said chassis upper and lower members when same are joined, said slot residing parallel to and just above said bumper edge and extending laterally for substantially the full width thereof; a generally planar light plate residing within said chassis between said upper and lower members thereof, having an output edge on one side thereof residing substantially within and along said lateral slot, and further having an input edge on an opposite side thereof generally rearward of said output edge; and lamp means, located generally rearward of said chassis lower member front edge and removed from said main suction nozzle so as to avoid interference with same, for illuminating said light plate input edge; whereby light entering said light plate input edge from said lamp means is transmitted through said plate substantially in the plane thereof and out said output edge thereof for the illumination, beginning relatively adjacent to said bumper edge, of a floor surface to be cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification