Hose and tool rack for upright vacuum cleaner and method for mounting same

• US 5,303,447 A
• Filed: 09/28/1992
• Issued: 04/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: McKnight, Darwin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US07/952,664
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 15/323, 15/334, 15/335, 15/246.2
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0009 Storing devices winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26; Supports, stands or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0036 specially adapted for holding the suction hose

Abstract

A rear mounted hose and tool rack is provided for an upright vacuum cleaner. The hose and tool rack receives and maintains various tools and attachments within a confined envelope and maintained rearwardly of the lower handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner. The rack is formed of a flexible plastic material to accommodate ease of attachment thereto. A central opening in the rack may be passed over the upper handle assembly such that a pocket at the top of the opening may engage an upper surface of the lower handle assembly while spaced apart tabs extending into the opening engage opposite surfaces of the lower handle assembly to complete the secured engagement. Attachment of the rack to the upright cleaner is further facilitated by the flexible and deflectable nature of the rack itself which allows the tabs to be deflected while being positioned for ultimate secured engagement. The central opening of the rack is substantially congruent with the lower handle assembly configuration to provide further strength and rigidity to the final structure.

Claims

1. A hose and tool rack for use with an upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a generally vertically elongated rectangular frame having a central aperture;

sidewardly mounted hose clips extending and opening outwardly from said rectangular frame for reception and maintenance of the hose loopingly around at least a portion of said frame;

at least one cleaning tool mounted on said frame and within a loop defined by the hose; and

means carried by said frame for engaging the vacuum cleaner and attaching the hose and tool rack thereto.

2. The hose and tool rack according to claim 1, wherein said central aperture receives a lower handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner, said central aperture and lower handle assembly being substantially congruent for nesting interengagement.

3. The hose and tool rack according to claim 2, wherein said frame comprises a pair of vertical side strut members interconnected by upper and lower cross strut members, said upper and lower cross strut members engaging the lower handle assembly on opposite surfaces.

4. The hose and tool rack according to claim 3, wherein said means comprises first and second sets of retaining clips engaging the lower handle assembly on opposite surfaces.

5. The hose and tool rack according to claim 4, wherein said first set of retainer clips is adapted to engage slots in one surface of the lower handle and a second set of retainer clips is adapted to engage an edge of an opposite surface of the lower handle assembly.

6. The hose and tool rack according to claim 3, wherein said upper cross strut defines a pocket nestingly receiving a top end of the lower handle assembly.

7. The hose and tool rack according to claim 6, wherein said lower cross strut defines a channel matingly engaging a bottom end of the lower handle assembly.

8. The hose and tool rack according to claim 7, wherein said pocket has an open back and said channel has an open front, said pocket and channel transversely engaging the lower handle assembly.

9. The hose and tool rack according to claim 8, wherein said frame is flexible and forgiving, accommodating deflection of said frame around the lower handle assembly to effect engagement of said means to the lower handle assembly.

10. The hose and tool rack according to claim 3, wherein said hose clips comprise a pair of spaced apart arcuate clips extending from each of said vertical side strut members with an arcuate retainer interposed between the arcuate clips of each pair.

11. The hose and tool rack according to claim 10, wherein said arcuate clips are positioned to engage the hose on a side opposite engagement by said interposed arcuate retainer.

12. The hose and tool rack according to claim 3, wherein said at least one cleaning tool comprises a crevice tool, said frame having a blade member extending therefrom for receiving a working end of said crevice tool and a deflection member for directing said working end onto said blade member.

13. The hose and tool rack according to claim 3, further comprising first and second receptacles and respective bottom portions of each of said vertical side strut members, said first and second receptacles receiving and maintaining opposite ends of the hose.

14. The hose and tool rack according to claim 13, wherein said first receptacle is tubular and said second receptacle is conical.

15. A method for attaching a rectangularly shaped hose and tool rack having a central aperture to a vacuum cleaner, comprising:

placing the hose and tool rack over a handle of the vacuum cleaner, causing said handle to pass through the aperture;

engaging a top portion of the hose and tool rack with a top portion of a lower handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner;

engaging a bottom portion of the hose and tool rack with a bottom portion of the lower handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner and attaching the hose and tool rack to the vacuum cleaner;

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of engaging said bottom portion of the hose and tool rack with the lower handle assembly includes the step of bending and deflecting said bottom portion of the hose and tool rack about said bottom portion of the lower handle assembly.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said top and bottom portions of the hose and tool rack assembly are respectively engaged with top front and bottom back portions of the lower handle assembly, the hose and tool rack transversely mounting the lower handle assembly.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the attaching step further comprises the steps of engaging a first set of clips on the tool and rack assembly with slots in a back surface of the lower handle assembly and a second set of clips on the tool and rack assembly with edges of a front surface of the lower handle assembly.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said first and second sets of clips are deflected over said lower handle assembly.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said lower handle assembly is brought into substantially congruent nesting engagement with the hose and tool rack within said aperture.

21. The combined product of a vacuum cleaner and hose and tool rack with a central aperture, said hose and tool rack mounted on said vacuum cleaner and made by a method comprising:

placing the hose and tool rack over a handle of the vacuum cleaner, causing the handle to pass through the aperture;

engaging a top portion of the hose and tool rack with a top portion of a lower handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner;

engaging a bottom portion of the hose and tool rack with a bottom portion of the lower handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner; and

attaching the hose and tool rack to the vacuum cleaner.