Electrical safety interlock and pulse-type reset circuit for a vacuum cleaner system
First Claim
1. An electrical safety interlock circuit for automatically interrupting current flow through a vacuum hose and handle of a vacuum cleaner whenever an electrical cleaning accessory is detached from said handle, said electrical safety interlock circuit comprising:
- detection means for detecting an interruption in said current flow to said electrical cleaning accessory when said electrical cleaning accessory is detached from said handle; and
switching means responsive to said detection means for further interrupting said current flow through said vacuum hose and said handle whenever said electrical cleaning accessory is detached from said handle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A safety interlock circuit for a vacuum cleaner system is disclosed for interrupting the flow of current through conductors of a vacuum hose and handle assembly whenever an electrical attachment accessory is disconnected from the handle assembly during operation of the vacuum. A pulse-type reset circuit is also disclosed for re-enabling current flow through the conductors of the vacuum hose and handle assembly after the electrical attachment accessory has been reattached to the handle assembly. The safety interlock circuit of the preferred embodiment comprises a relay coil, a plurality of normally open relay contacts, and a current sensing resistor, all connected in series with an AC power source and a motor of the electrical attachment accessory. A voltage doubler is also connected in parallel with the current sensing resistor for supplying a DC voltage to the relay coil. The safety interlock circuit operates to interrupt current flow by opening the normally open relay contacts whenever the relay coil is de-energized. The pulse-type reset circuit comprises a momentary contact pushbutton reset switch, a plurality of transistors, a capacitor, and a plurality of optical-electrical coupling devices. The pulse-type reset circuit operates to supply a pulse of current to the relay coil to temporarily energize the relay coil to thereby close the normally open relay contacts, thereby allowing current flow through the current sensing resistor and allowing the voltage doubler to apply a voltage across the relay coil to sustain operation of the motor.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electrical safety interlock circuit for automatically interrupting current flow through a vacuum hose and handle of a vacuum cleaner whenever an electrical cleaning accessory is detached from said handle, said electrical safety interlock circuit comprising:
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detection means for detecting an interruption in said current flow to said electrical cleaning accessory when said electrical cleaning accessory is detached from said handle; and switching means responsive to said detection means for further interrupting said current flow through said vacuum hose and said handle whenever said electrical cleaning accessory is detached from said handle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An electrical interlock safety system comprising:
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conductor means for allowing current flow therethrough; hose means for supporting said conductor means and facilitating cleaning tasks; cleaning means attachable to said hose means and said conductor, said cleaning means being operable to further facilitate cleaning tasks in response to said current flow from said conductor means; detection means for detecting an interruption in said current flow to said cleaning means whenever said cleaning means is disconnected from said conductor means; and first switching means responsive to said detection means for further interrupting said current flow through said conductor means whenever said cleaning means is disconnected from said conductor means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electrical safety system for a vacuum cleaner, said system comprising:
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a main vacuum cleaner assembly; a vacuum hose having first and second ends, said vacuum hose being attachable at its said first end to said main vacuum cleaner assembly; a handle assembly attached to said second end of said vacuum hose for facilitating cleaning tasks; a plurality of insulated, current carrying conductors running longitudinally through said vacuum hose and through said handle assembly; electrical cleaning accessory means removably attachable to said handle assembly and said insulated, current carrying conductors for further facilitating said cleaning tasks; first switching means for interrupting current flow through said current carrying conductors when said cleaning accessory means is disconnected from said current carrying conductors; relay coil means for controlling said first switching means; and current sensing means for sensing when said current flow through said insulated, current carrying conductors has been interrupted and controlling said relay coil means, whereby controlling said relay coil means operates to control said first switching means, thereby further interrupting said current flow through said insulated, current carrying conductors before said current flow enters a portion of said insulated, current carrying conductors in said vacuum hose and said handle assembly. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An electrical safety system for a vacuum cleaner, said system comprising:
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a main vacuum cleaner assembly; a vacuum hose having first and second ends, said vacuum hose being attachable at its said first end to said main vacuum cleaner assembly; a handle assembly attached to said second end of said vacuum hose for facilitating cleaning tasks; a plurality of insulated, current carrying conductors running longitudinally through said vacuum hose and through said handle assembly; electrical cleaning accessory means removably attachable to said handle assembly and said insulated, current carrying conductors for further facilitating said cleaning tasks; first switching means for interrupting current flow through said current carrying conductors when said cleaning accessory means is disconnected from said current carrying conductors; relay coil means for controlling said first switching means; current sensing means for sensing when said current flow through said insulated, current carrying conductors has been interrupted and controlling said relay coil means, whereby controlling said relay coil means operates to control said first switching means, thereby further interrupting said current flow through said insulated, current carrying conductors before said current flow enters a portion of said insulated, current carrying conductors in said vacuum hose and said handle assembly; and reset means for supplying a reset signal to said relay coil means to thereby reset said first switching means and allow said current flow through said insulated, current-carrying conductors to be re-established after said current flow has been interrupted.
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32. An electrical safety system for a vacuum cleaner, said system comprising:
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a main vacuum cleaner assembly; a vacuum hose having first and second ends, said vacuum hose being attachable at its said first end to said main vacuum cleaner assembly; a handle assembly attached to said second end of said vacuum hose for facilitating cleaning tasks; a plurality of insulated, current-carrying conductors running longitudinally through said vacuum hose and through said handle assembly; electrical cleaning accessory means removably attachable to said handle assembly and said insulated, current carrying conductors for further facilitating said cleaning tasks; a plurality of relay contacts for interrupting current flow through said current carrying conductors when said cleaning accessory means is disconnected from said current carrying conductors; a relay coil for controlling said relay contacts; a current sensing resistor for sensing when said current flow through said insulated, current carrying conductors has been interrupted and controlling said relay coil, whereby controlling said relay coil operates to control said relay contacts, thereby further interrupting said current flow through said insulated, current carrying conductors before said current flow enters a portion of said insulated, current carrying conductors in said vacuum hose and said handle assembly; a manually operated, momentary contact push button reset switch; a plurality of first transistors responsive to said manually operated, momentary contact, push button reset switch; a capacitor operable to store and discharge a charge in response to operation of said plurality of first transistors; a plurality of second transistors for further controlling storage and discharge of said capacitor; coupling means for isolating said first and second transistors to thereby enhance operation of said first and second transistors; and whereby actuation of said manually operated, momentary contact push button reset switch operates to switch said plurality of first transistors, thereby allowing said capacitor to discharge a charge stored therein to produce a pulse-type reset signal, said pulse-type reset signal being operable to switch said optical-electrical coupling devices and said plurality of second transistors to conducting states, thereby allowing said pulse-type reset signal to be applied to said relay coil, thereby temporarily energizing said relay coil to thereby re-enable operation of said cleaning accessory means after said current flow to said cleaning accessory means has been interrupted by said relay contacts.
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33. An electrical safety interlock circuit for a vacuum cleaner system for automatically detecting a first resistance condition within said circuit associated with an uncoupling of an electrically driven cleaning tool from a handle assembly of said vacuum cleaner system, and a second resistance condition associated with the coupling of said electrically driven cleaning tool with said handle assembly, said safety interlock circuit comprising:
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a handle assembly having electrical coupling means for electrically coupling said electrically driven cleaning tool with said handle assembly; detection means for detecting said first resistance condition within said interlock circuit generated when said electrically driven cleaning tool is uncoupled from said handle assembly and said second resistance condition when said electrically driven cleaning tool is coupled with said handle assembly; and switching means responsive to said detection means for interrupting current flow to said electrical coupling means when said first resistance condition is generated, said switching means further being operable to enable current flow to said electrical coupling means in response to detection of said second resistance condition. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification