Stacked looped hose rack for upright cleaner

• US 5,331,714 A
• Filed: 10/01/1992
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: McKnight, Darwin T., Essex, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gerrity, Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINSON, PATRICK F
• Application Number:
  US07/954,821
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 15/323, 15/357, 15/334, 15/335, 15/350, 15/351, D32/22, D32/31, D32/32, D32/33
• 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 stacked looped hose rack for upright vacuum cleaners provides a top hose receptacle, a bottom hose receptacle, and an intermediate hose receptacle, all three attached to the handle assembly of the upright cleaner. The top hose receptacle is rotatable to provide for a quick dump or release of the hose spirally wrapped around the top and bottom receptacles, and through the intermediate one. The bottom receptacle is in the form of a spool, the top receptacle is in the form of a generally elliptical spool, and the middle receptacle is provided with a pair of channels in H-type configuration to receive the hose as it passes therethrough.

Claims

1. A hose and rack assembly for an upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a) a hose having a first and second ends;

b) support means attached to the vacuum cleaner for receiving and maintaining said hose, said first end of said hose being connected to said support means, said support means including means pivotally mounted to said upright cleaner for pivoting to effect a quick release of said hose from said support means;

c) said support means comprising spaced apart top and bottom hose mounts, said hose being wrapped therebetween;

d) said top hose mount comprising outer and inner spaced apart flanges receiving said hose therebetween, said outer flange being rotatable about an axis;

e) a shaft mounted to a handle of said upright cleaner and extending transversely outwardly therefrom, said outer and inner flanges received upon said shaft outwardly of said handle for said upright cleaner; and

f) said outer flange and said shaft having a mating detent and boss restricting and permitting rotation of said outer flange relative to said shaft about said axis to thereby provide said release means.

2. The hose and rack assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support means receives said hose in a spiral overlapped wrap.

3. A hose and rack assembly for an upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a) a hose having a first and second ends;

b) support means attached to the vacuum cleaner for receiving and maintaining said hose, said first end of said hose being connected to said support means, said support means including release means pivotally mounted to said upright cleaner for pivoting to effect a quick release of said hose from said support means;

c) said support means comprising spaced apart top and bottom hose mounts, said hose being wrapped therebetween;

d) said bottom hose mount comprising a spool of generally cylindrical shape; and

e) said spool has an attached nipple receiving and retaining said first end of said hose in telescoping relationship thereby facilitating spiral wrapping of the hose.

4. The hose and rack assembly according to claim 3, wherein said support means receives said hose in a spiral overlapped wrap.

5. The hose and rack assembly according to claim 3, wherein said top hose mount comprises outer and inner spaced apart flanges receiving said hose therebetween, said outer flange being rotatable about an axis to thereby form said release means.

6. A hose and rack assembly for an upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a) a hose having a first and second ends;

b) support means attached to the vacuum cleaner for receiving and maintaining said hose, said first end of said hose being connected to said support means, said support means including release means pivotally mounted to said upright cleaner for pivoting to effect a quick release of said hose from said support means;

c) said support means receiving said hose in a spiral overlapped wrap;

d) said support means comprising spaced apart top and bottom hose mounts, said hose being wrapped therebetween;

e) said top hose mount comprising outer and inner spaced apart flanges receiving said hose therebetween, said outer flange being rotatable about an axis;

f) said bottom hose comprises a spool of generally cylindrical shape;

g) said support means further comprising a retainer interposed between said top and bottom hose mounts, said hose passing through and being retained by said retainer;

h) said retainer has first and second side by side channels;

said first channel receiving said hose passing from said bottom hose mount to said top hose mount; and

said second channel receiving said hose passing from said top hose mount to said bottom hose mount.

7. The hose and rack assembly according to claim 6, wherein said top and bottom hose mounts and said retainer extend from a side of the vacuum cleaner.

8. In an upright vacuum cleaner, the improvement of a hose and rack assembly comprising:

a) a top hose receptacle;

b) a bottom hose receptacle;

c) a middle hose receptacle interpositioned between said top and bottom hose receptacles;

d) a hose having a first end thereof connected to the bottom hose receptacle and being spirally wrapped around the top and bottom hose receptacles and received within said middle hose receptacle;

e) said top hose receptacle having a rotatable portion, said hose being quickly and easily released from said top hose receptacle upon rotation of said rotatable portion;

f) said bottom hose receptacle comprising a spool;

said first end of said hose being connected to said spool; and

g) said middle hose receptacle being H-shaped, having two pairs of parallel oppositely extending legs forming a pair of oppositely disposed channels.

9. The improvement of a hose and rack assembly according to claim 8, wherein said top hose receptacle comprises a pair of flanges eccentrically mounted on a shaft.

10. The improvement of a hose and rack assembly according to claim 9, wherein said pair of flanges comprises an inner fixed flange and an outer rotatable flange, said rotatable flange comprising said rotatable portion.

11. The improvement of a hose and rack assembly according to claim 8, wherein one of said channels receives portion of said hose extending from said bottom hose receptacle to said top hose receptacle, and another of said channels receives portions of said hose extending from said top hose receptacle to said bottom hose receptacle.

12. The improvement of a hose and rack assembly according to claim 8, wherein said top, bottom, and middle hose receptacles are attached to the vacuum cleaner and extend from a side thereof.

13. A hose and rack assembly for an upright cleaner, comprising:

a hose having first and second end portions, mounted on said hose and rack assembly;

at least a first and a second support on said hose and rack assembly for mounting said hose on said hose and rack assembly;

one of said supports being H-shaped to form a pair of back to back hose reception sections;

to thereby lodge said first and second end portions in said one of said supports.