Dirt cup latching arrangement

• US 5,659,922 A
• Filed: 02/05/1996
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Louis, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): TILL, TERRENCE R
• Application Number:
  US08/596,630
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 15/344, 15/347, 15/349, 15/350, 15/351, 15/352, 55/429, 55/432, 55/433, 403/321, 403/324, 403/326
• US Class Current: 15/350
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1463 specially adapted for rigid filtering receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/59 Manually releaseable latch type

Abstract

A stick cleaner is provided with a dirt cup that can be inserted partially into the housing of the stick cleaner and swung to a fully mounted position by an automatic camming action. The dirt cup includes a latching mechanism which also cammingly engages a latch hook on the suction tube of the stick cleaner to maintain the dirt cup in an assembled position.

Claims

1. A dirt cup arrangement for a vacuum cleaner including:

a) a cleaner housing portion;

b) a dirt cup mounted to said housing portion, defining a mounted position;

c) a suction tube attached to said housing portion;

d) a latch hook mounted on said suction tube;

e) a latch hook mounted with said dirt cup;

f) said dirt cup at least partially swinging to said mounted position with said housing portion;

g) one of said latch hook on said suction tube and said latch hook on said dirt cup cammingly deforming during said swinging to thereby latch with the other.

2. A dirt cup arrangement for a vacuum cleaner set out in claim 1 wherein:

a) one of said latch hooks includes;

(1) an integral latching portion,

(2) an integral spring finger, and

(3) a finger contacting portion; and

b) said spring finger urging said latching portion towards said other latch hook when said dirt cup is assembled with said cleaner housing portion.

3. A dirt cup arrangement for a vacuum cleaner as set out in claim 1 wherein:

a) a ramped camming surface is provided with one of said cleaner housing portion and said dirt cup;

b) said ramped camming surface engaging a portion on the other of said cleaner housing portion and said dirt cup during said swinging of said dirt cup;

c) whereby said dirt cup is cammed to said mounted position.

4. The dirt cup arrangement as set out in claim 3 wherein:

a) said ramped camming surface is formed on one of said latch hooks.

5. The dirt cup arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

a) said latch hook on said suction tube is made integral therewith.

6. The dirt cup arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

a) said housing portion includes a member having a seal;

b) said seal seals with a top portion of said dirt cup and a lower portion of said cleaner housing portion to provide sealing integrity between said dirt cup and said cleaner housing portion.

7. The dirt cup arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

a) said vacuum cleaner is a stick cleaner.

8. The dirt cup arrangement of claim 1 wherein:

a) said dirt cup and said cleaner housing portion at least partially overlap in assembled condition.

9. The dirt cup arrangement of claim 8 wherein:

a) said dirt cup and said cleaner housing portion at least partially abut in assembled condition.

10. A latch arrangement for a vacuum cleaner having a dirt cup and a housing including:

a) a latch hook mounted on a downwardly extending suction tube attached to said housing of said vacuum cleaner;

b) a latch hook mounted on said dirt cup;

c) one of said latch hooks including a camming means for aiding in securely mounting said dirt cup to said vacuum cleaner.

11. The latch arrangement for a vacuum cleaner having a dirt cup and a housing as set out in claim 10 wherein:

a) said camming means aids in engagement of said latch hooks.

12. The latch arrangement for a vacuum cleaner having a dirt cup and a housing as set out in claim 11 wherein:

a) said camming means urges said dirt cup into a mounted position with said vacuum cleaner.

13. The latch arrangement for a vacuum cleaner having a dirt cup and a housing as set out in claim 12 wherein:

a) said camming means forms a part of one of said latch hooks;

b) said dirt cup extends upwardly from said latch hooks; and

said camming means is provided by an upwardly disposed ramp surface on said one of said latch hooks.