Handle system for vacuum cleaner

• US 5,551,731 A
• Filed: 10/12/1994
• Issued: 09/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electrolux PLC (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Canada Corporation (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Gray, Steven L., Hoekstra, Peter, Martin, Michael F., Moyher, George C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US08/321,511
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 285/7, 285/38, 285/272, 285/275, 285/276, 285/319
• US Class Current: 285/7
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/246 with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2847 Surface treating elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/32 Handles

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a handle and wand system for a vacuum cleaner is provided which includes an enclosed electrical system which may be used to provide electrical power to a powered floor nozzle or other powered nozzles. The handle and wand system of the present invention may be employed in either a canister vacuum or a central vacuum unit. In one embodiment, the system includes a handle and suction hose assembly which permits the hose, which includes conducting wires, to be freely rotated while attached to the handle. In another embodiment, means are provided for easily attaching, locking and detaching the components of the handle and wand system of the present invention while providing both a vacuum seal and a plurality of low resistance electrical contacts between the elements of the system of the present invention. In a further embodiment, a swivel elbow is provided to attach the handle and wand system of the present invention to a powered floor nozzle. In another embodiment, an interface is provided easily for attaching, locking and detaching the handle and wand system of the present invention to and from non-powered cleaning tools.

Claims

1. For use in a vacuum cleaner system including a suction hose having a hose cuff with a groove therein extending around the hose cuff, the hose cuff being attached to the suction hose at one end of the suction hose, a handle comprising:

a handle body having a front opening and a rear opening and having a suction conduit therein extending inward from the front opening, and further having a bore having a side wall, the bore extending inward from the rear opening and communicating with the suction conduit in fluid flow relationship, the handle body having a slot opening in the side wall of the bore; and

a handle cover joined with the handle body, the handle cover including a tab at a rear end thereof projecting through said slot into said bore;

such that;

the hose cuff may be joined to the handle by being positioned in the bore in the handle body in sealing relationship with the side wall of the bore and with the groove in the hose cuff aligned with the slot opening in the side wall of the bore, such that the tab of the handle cover protrudes through the slot opening and into the groove in the hose cuff to prevent the suction hose and hose cuff from being removed from the handle while permitting the suction hose and hose cuff to rotate within the bore.

2. The handle of claim 1 wherein the handle body further comprises a stop wall protruding from the side wall of the bore into the bore, the stop wall being positioned such that the groove in the hose cuff is aligned with the slot opening when the hose cuff contacts the stop wall.

3. The handle of claim 2 wherein the handle body comprises a unitary piece of molded plastic.