Portable wet/dry vacuum cleaner and recharging base

• US 5,035,024 A
• Filed: 08/24/1990
• Issued: 07/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Soultanian, Daniel S., Steiner, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US07/571,722
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 15/339, 15/344, 15/350, 15/DIG. 1, 320/2
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0009 with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 Gaskets; Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/01 Rechargeable batter

Abstract

A portable wet/dry vacuum cleaner is disclosed having a handle base and a combination nozzle/debris container. The vacuum cleaner further includes a charging base for holding or mounting the vacuum cleaner. The charging base has a recess formed therein to receive at least a portion of the handle base. The handle base has a notch or receptacle formed therein and a finger from the recharging base fits into the receptacle such that electrical charging terminals both on the vacuum cleaner and on the recharging base engage one another in sliding frictional electrical engagement while the vacuum cleaner is resiliently held in place on the base so as to permit recharging of the batteries within the vacuum cleaner.

Claims

1. A portable hand held vacuum cleaner and recharging base, said vacuum cleaner having a housing, said housing including at least one outer face, said housing containing rechargeable battery means and a pair of electrical housing terminals electrically connected to the rechargeable battery means, said pair of housing terminals including contact surfaces which are exposed along the outer face of said housing, said recharging base having a frame adapted to receive a portion of said housing therein, said frame having at least one outer face, said frame further including a pair of electrical frame terminals electrically connectable to a source of electrical energy, said pair of frame terminals also including contact surfaces which are exposed along the outer face of said frame, said exposed pair of frame terminal contact surfaces being positioned for cooperative electrical connection in sliding frictional engagement with the exposed pair of housing terminal contact surfaces to permit recharging of the rechargeable battery means, said housing and frame having spaced cooperating resilient interengaging means for applying an interlocking force between said housing and frame in order to releasably interlock said housing and frame together, said exposed housing and frame terminal contact surfaces being located in an area adjacent at least one of said spaced cooperating resilient interengaging means, said exposed housing and frame terminal contact surfaces engaging one another in sliding frictional electrical engagement and disengagement along the outer faces of said housing and frame when said housing and frame are releasably engaged and disengaged relative to one another.

2. The portable hand held vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1 wherein said spaced cooperating resilient interengaging means include cooperating finger and notch means for alignment of said housing and frame during the releasable interlocking of said housing and frame to one another.

3. The portable hand held vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 2 wherein said spaced housing and frame cooperating resilient interengaging means include said housing and frame terminals.