Safety interlock device for a vacuum cleaner

• US 4,980,945 A
• Filed: 11/27/1989
• Issued: 01/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bewley, Wilbur C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINSON, PATRICK F
• Application Number:
  US07/441,565
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 15/410, 15/377, 15/389, 15/391, 15/412, 15/339
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/327 for suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner has a disconnectable handle and dirt tube assembly mounted to a floor nozzle. The assembly includes a wire harness connector which mates to a corresponding connector in the floor nozzle to provide power to the floor nozzle components. The connectors are each securely mounted in their respective components, so that when the handle assembly is connected to the floor nozzle, the electrical connection is automatically made. Access to the floor nozzle components is had by removal of the floor nozzle cover. The handle assembly, when installed, is located in spaced relationship from the floor nozzle, overlying an arcuate portion of the floor nozzle top in all but a horizontal position of the handle assembly. When the handle assembly is in a horizontal position, a body edge of the handle assembly overlies projections on the nozzle cover. As a result, in any handle position, the nozzle top may not be removed until the handle assembly is removed from the floor nozzle, thereby disconnecting power to the floor nozzle.

Claims

1. In a vacuum cleaner including a handle and a floor engaging portion coupled to said handle and having a base mounting an electric motor and a rotatable brush driven by said motor, and a cover removably mounted to said base and overlying said motor and brush, and a plurality of electrical conductors connectable to a source of power and extending from said handle to said motor, the improvement comprising:

means operatively associated with said floor engaging portion for disconnecting said motor from the source of power prerequisite to removing said cover from said base.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said disconnecting means comprises a plug and socket.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said disconnecting means comprises means for preventing removal of said cover unless said handle is uncoupled from said floor engaging portion.

4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said disconnecting means comprises a removable wand disposed between said handle and said floor engaging portion.

5. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a floor engaging portion including a motor, a rotatable brush driven by said motor, and a removable cover overlying said motor and said rotatable brush;

a selectively disengagable handle body supported by said floor engaging portion;

a first plurality of electrical conductors carried by said handle body including means for connecting said conductors to a source of electrical power;

a second plurality of electrical conductors located in said floor engaging portion selectively connected to said motor;

connector means for connecting said first plurality of conductors to said second plurality of conductors incident to said handle body being supported by said floor engaging portion; and

means for preventing removal of said cover unless said handle body is disconnected from said floor engaging portion.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein said connector means comprises a plug and socket.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6 wherein said plug and socket are rigidly secured within said floor engaging portion and said handle body, respectively.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein said preventing means comprises means integral with said cover for abutting said handle body incident to attempted removal of said cover if said handle body is connected to said floor engaging portion.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 further comprising a removable belt interconnecting said motor and said brush and wherein said preventing means prevents removal of said belt unless said first plurality of conductors is disconnected from said second plurality of conductors.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein said brush is a removable brush and wherein said preventing means prevents removal of said brush unless said first plurality of conductors is disconnected from said second plurality of conductors.

11. In a vacuum cleaner having a wheeled nozzle housing an electric motor for driving a rotatable brush, and a handle assembly for providing suction to the nozzle and power to the motor, a safety interlock comprising:

a removable cover supported on said nozzle in overlying relation with said motor and brush;

a swivel coupler pivotally mounted to said nozzle and including a first electrical connector connected to said motor;

a fixed coupler mounted to said handle assembly couplable with said swivel coupler and including a second electrical connector, connected to a plurality of electrical conductors for providing power, connectable to said first electrical connector incident to said couplers being selectively coupled; and

means for preventing removal of said cover unless said first connector is disconnected from said second connector.

12. The safety interlock of claim 11 wherein said connectors comprises a plug and socket.

13. The safety interlock of claim 12 wherein said plug and socket are rigidly secured to said swivel coupler and said fixed coupler, respectively.

14. The safety interlock of claim 11 wherein said preventing means comprises means integral with said cover for abutting said handle assembly incident to attempted removal of said cover if said handle assembly is connected to said nozzle.

15. The safety interlock of claim 11 wherein said vacuum cleaner further comprises a removable belt interconnecting said motor and said brush and wherein said preventing means prevents removal of said belt unless said first connector is disconnected from said second connector.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein said brush is a removable brush and wherein said preventing means prevents removal of said brush unless said first connector is disconnected from said second connector.