Canister vacuum cleaner and method of manufacture

• US 4,987,637 A
• Filed: 10/20/1986
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Giordano, James R., Zummer, Linda A., Janke, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haugland, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US06/920,959
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 15/377, 15/319, 15/328
• US Class Current: 15/328
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2847 Surface treating elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Abstract

A canister vacuum cleaner includes a floor cleaning unit having a rotatable brush driven by a brush motor and a remotely disposed canister having a vacuum or suction motor for providing suction to perform cleaning operations. The floor cleaning unit is mechanically and pneumatically interconnected with the canister through a rigid wand and a wand handle and hose assembly. The wand handle and hose assembly includes a wand handle, disposed between the rigid wand and a flexible hose, with a three-position electrical control switch mounted thereon. The control switch enables the deenergization of both the brush motor and the vacuum motor in a first position, enables the energization of the vacuum motor only in a second position and enables the energization of both the vacuum motor and the brush motor in a third position. An electrical control system includes an electrical control circuit for electrically interconnecting the control switch, the brush motor and the vacuum motor with a source of alternating current power by means of three electrical conductors internally disposed within and along the length of the flexible hose and two electrical conductors externally disposed along the length of the wand. The control system further includes a motor relay physically disposed in the canister and electrically interconnected in the control circuit such that the electrical current required to operate the vacuum motor does not pass through the wand handle and hose assembly. The electrical control circuit is configured to facilitate the manufacture of canister vacuum cleaners and to enable the wand handle and hose assembly to be used interchangeably with different models of canister vacuum cleaners.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a canister vacuum cleaner comprising the steps of

forming a floor cleaning unit having a rotatable brush and a brush motor for rotating said brush,

forming a canister having a suction motor for providing suction,

providing means for pneumatically interconnecting said canister and said floor cleaning unit to provide said suction at said floor cleaning unit, said pneumatically interconnecting means comprising a wand and a wand handle and hose assembly, said wand handle and hose assembly comprising a wand handle and a flexible hose, said wand being adapted physically to engage said floor cleaning unit, said flexible hose being adapted physically to engage said canister, said wand handle being adapted physically to engage both said wand and said flexible hose,

disposing a three-position electrical control switch on said wand handle, said control switch in a first position being adapted to enable the deenergization of both said brush motor and said suction motor and in a second position being adapted to enable the energization of said suction motor and the deenergization of said brush motor and in a third position being adapted to enable the energization of both said brush motor and said suction motor, and

configuring the electrical control circuit for said canister vacuum cleaner to enable the desired operation of said canister vacuum cleaner under the control of said three-position electrical control switch and to enable said wand handle and hose assembly including said three-position control switch to be used in a second canister vacuum cleaner in place of a second wand handle and hose assembly that forms a component part of said second vacuum cleaner, said second canister vacuum cleaner further including a second floor cleaning unit having a second rotatable brush and a second brush motor for rotating said brush and a second canister having a second suction motor for providing suction, said second wand handle and hose assembly including a second wand handle and a second flexible hose and a two-position electrical control switch disposed on said second wand handle, said two-position control switch in a first position being adapted to enable the deenergization of both said second brush motor and said second suction motor and in a second position being adapted to enable the energization of both said second brush motor and said second suction motor.

2. A method of manufacturing a canister vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of disposing electrical relay means in said first mentioned canister for preventing the electrical current required to operate said first mentioned suction motor from passing through either said first mentioned wand handle and hose assembly or said three-position control switch.

3. A method of manufacturing a canister vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of disposing three elongated electrical conductors internally within said first mentioned flexible hose for use in electrically interconnecting said first mentioned suction motor and said three-position control switch.

4. A method of manufacturing a canister vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 3 wherein said wand comprises a rigid wand for mechanically and pneumatically interconnecting said first mentioned floor unit with said first mentioned wand handle and hose assembly.

5. A method of manufacturing a canister vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 4 further comprising the step of disposing a pair of elongated electrical conductors along the length of said wand for use in electrically interconnecting said first mentioned brush motor and said three-position control switch.

6. A method of manufacturing a canister vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of disposing means on said first mentioned canister for connecting said first mentioned canister vacuum cleaner to a source of alternating current electrical power.