Vacuum cleaner having a tool attached to the nozzle

• US 5,379,483 A
• Filed: 09/14/1992
• Issued: 01/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Inventors: Pino, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hook, James F.
• Application Number:
  US07/944,875
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 15/323, 15/344, 15/350, 15/415.1, 15/416, 15/420, 15/422
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner convertible between a hand-held vacuum and a stick-type vacuum including a housing having a rondure first end and narrowing to a generally oblate, low profile nozzle at a second end, defining an opening in fluid communication with an interior of the housing. A releasably extensible dirt cup is slidably disposed within the opening in the second end and adapted to move between a retracted position within the housing and an extended position from the housing. The free end of the dirt cup is adapted to detachably retain a floor cleaning tool having a pivoting cleaning head for use on floors or other surfaces to be cleaned. The housing contains a vacuum source for drawing high velocity air into the elongate dirt cup through the floor cleaning tool and/or free end of the elongate dirt cup so as to entrain dirt and debris and capture it within the dirt cup. The dirt cup is cleaned by withdrawing it from the end of the nozzle and removing the spun-bonded filter assembly before pouring the dirt cup contents into a separate container. The low profile housing, together with the extensible dirt cup and detachable floor cleaning tool, easily adapts to a variety of cleaning needs while simultaneously providing a lightweight and ergonomically balanced cleaning tool.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing having a nozzle;

a floor cleaning tool having one end detachably coupled to an end of said nozzle, said floor cleaning tool including an elongate neck having an exterior surface, said neck terminating in a floor engaging head pivotal about an axis transverse to said elongate neck;

a shallow depression defined in said exterior surface of said elongate neck and extending generally the length of said elongate neck, said shallow depression having a pair of attachment members, each at an opposite end of said shallow depression; and

an accessory cleaning tool having first and second ends, each detachably retained in said depression by said attachment members, whereby said accessory cleaning tool is detachable from said floor cleaning tool for attachment to said end of said nozzle in place of said floor cleaning tool.

2. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein each attachment member includes a detent at one end of said depression for detachably retaining said accessory tool in said depression.

3. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said elongate neck includes a generally oval transverse cross section defining a generally flat lower exterior surface containing said depression.

4. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said depression is bounded by channels formed in said lower exterior surface to define at least one interior passage extending the length of said elongate neck for transporting debris from the floor cleaning tool to said nozzle of the vacuum cleaner.

5. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said floor cleaning tool further includes a shroud extending from an opposite end of said elongate neck and partially enclosing a floor engaging head, pivotally coupling said floor engaging head at opposite ends so that said floor engaging head pivots about an axis generally concentric with said shroud.

6. A floor cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner, comprising:

an elongate neck having a generally oval transverse cross section, and with an opening at one end to be detachably coupled to a nozzle of the vacuum cleaner;

a floor engaging head attached to an opposite end of said elongate neck, and pivotal about an axis transverse to said elongate neck, said floor engaging head including an opening for transporting debris from a surface being cleaned into said elongate neck and the vacuum cleaner;

said elongate neck having a lower exterior surface containing a shallow depression extending generally the length of said elongate neck;

a pair of attachment members, each located at an opposite end of said shallow depression; and

an accessory cleaning tool received in said depression and retained therein at opposite ends by said attachment members, and removable from said depression for attachment to said nozzle of the vacuum cleaner, said accessory cleaning tool substantially contained in said shallow depression to maintain said generally oval transverse cross section.

7. The floor cleaning tool as defined in claim 6, further including a shroud extending from an end of said elongate neck opposite said opening, and at least partially enclosing said floor engaging head.

8. The floor cleaning tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said accessory cleaning tool is a crevice tool.

9. The floor cleaning tool as defined in claim 6, further including at least one interior passage extending the length of said floor cleaning tool, interconnecting said nozzle of the vacuum cleaner with said floor engaging head, said at least one interior passage formed from at least one channel paralleling said shallow depression and formed in said exterior surface of said elongate neck.

10. A floor cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner, comprising:

an elongate neck having one end detachably coupled to the vacuum cleaner, and an opposite end terminating in a housing having an axis generally transverse to said elongate neck;

a floor engaging head concentrically disposed within said housing and pivotal about said transverse axis;

a shallow trough formed in a lower exterior surface of said elongate neck and extending generally along the length of said elongate neck, said trough adapted at opposite ends to detachably retain at least one accessory cleaning tool; and

at least one interior passage extending the length of the floor cleaning tool, formed therein by at least one channel extending into said elongate neck from said lower exterior surface and generally parallel to said trough.

11. The floor cleaning tool as defined in claim 10, wherein said elongate neck and housing are molded from a polymeric material.

12. The floor cleaning tool as defined in claim 10, further including a channel bounding opposite sides of said depression and paralleling the length of said elongate neck, each channel extending into said elongate neck to define said at least one interior passage and to define sides of said depression for receiving said accessory cleaning tool.