Resiliently cushioned activating means for power assist

• US 5,406,674 A
• Filed: 03/19/1993
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Svik, Rodney J., King, Douglass A., Lawter, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brinson, Patrick F.
• Application Number:
  US08/034,413
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 15/340.2, 15/410, 180/19.1-19.3, 192/48.9, 192/48.91
• US Class Current: 15/340.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

A power assisted upright cleaner is provided with resilient spring cushioning for a hand grip driven actuating means that initiates power assist for the cleaner.

Claims

1. A rigid actuating linkage arrangement in a power driven cleaner including:

a) a nozzle on said cleaner;

b) a handle attached to said nozzle and extending in an axial direction;

c) a power drive unit disposed in said nozzle;

d) said rigid actuating linkage extending downwardly at least partly within said handle to said power drive unit and reciprocally mounted within said handle for actuating said power drive unit;

e) a hand grip reciprocally mounted on said handle and driving said rigid actuating linkage within said handle in a reciprocal manner axially towards and away from said power unit to form a drive line with said actuating linkage to thereby activate and deactivate said power unit;

f) a means for resiliently acting against said hand grip reciprocating movement, disposed in said actuating linkage arrangement; and

g) said resilient means also being interposed in an in-line series relationship in said drive line formed by said hand grip and said actuating linkage and mounted between them.

2. The actuating linkage arrangement in a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 1 wherein:

a) said resilient means comprises a non tubular compression block.

3. The actuating linkage arrangement in a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 1 wherein:

a) said resilient means comprises a torsion spring.

4. An actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner including:

a) a rigid actuating linkage disposed within a handle for said power drive cleaner;

b) a hand grip mounted on said handle and moveable relative thereto in an inward and outward direction;

c) said hand grip driving said rigid actuating linkage reciprocally within said handle also in said inward and outward direction; and

d) a means for resiliently cushioning said rigid actuating linkage arrangement interposed functionally and structurally between said hand grip and said rigid actuating linkage in a series in-line relationship whereby operation of said actuating linkage arrangement is smooth and with limited jerkiness.

5. An actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

a) said resilient means is wholly lodged by said hand grip,

6. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 5 wherein:

a) said resilient means takes the form of a compression block,

7. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 5 wherein:

a) said resilient means comprises a torsion spring,

8. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 6 wherein:

a) said compression block is fixed in a housing integrally formed in said hand grip by being abuttingly maintained between two extending walls in said housing; and

b) said actuating linkage is directly attached to said compression block.

9. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 8 wherein:

a) said compression block includes at least one discontinuity extending completely through said compression block to reduce its overall wall thickness and thereby its resistance to deformation.

10. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 9 wherein:

a) an insert of denser material than the material density of said compression block is inserted therein to provide for connection to said actuating linkage.

11. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 7 wherein:

a) said torsion spring extends transversely across said hand grip with its ends fixed in said hand grip.

12. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 11 wherein:

a) said torsion spring includes at least one center coil; and

b) said center coil serves as a connection to which said actuating linkage is directly connected.

13. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 12 wherein:

a) said actuating linkage includes a hook at its hand grip end; and

b) said hook engages in said center coil to connect said actuating linkage resiliently drivingly with said hand grip.

14. The actuating linkage arrangement for a power drive cleaner as set out in claim 13 wherein:

a) said hand grip includes means for aligned guided action of said actuating linkage and said torsion spring.

15. An actuating linkage arrangement usable with a power assisted appliance having an axially extending handle including:

a) a hand grip reciprocally mounted on said handle;

b) a rigid actuating linkage extending down said handle and within said handle and reciprocatorily driven by said hand grip within said handle;

c) a means providing a resilient cushioning effect, disposed in an interposed and an in-line series abutting relationship with said hand grip and said rigid actuating linkage

d) a power drive unit for said power assisted appliance;

e) said means providing a resilient cushioning effect being situated remote from said power drive unit and adjacent said handle; and

f) said rigid actuating linkage moving, during said reciprocatory driving by said hand grip axially towards and away from said power drive unit within said handle for actuation of said power assisted appliance.