Flexible plastics vacuum cleaner core

• US 5,778,939 A
• Filed: 02/20/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DUAL Voltage Company Limited
• Original Assignee: DUAL Voltage Company Limited
• Inventors: Hok-Yin, Timmy Sin
• Primary Examiner(s): Brinson, Patrick F.
• Application Number:
  US08/603,438
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 138/120, 138/110, 138/155, 138/109, 285/166, 285/184, 285/264, 285/261
• US Class Current: 138/120
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/24 Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings hoses or hose joints in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 11/18 Articulated hoses, e.g. composed of a series of rings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4461 Articulated

Abstract

A flexible self-supporting plastic core 10 has an outer protective hose 12. The core is made up of a number of back-to-back male members 13 and back-to-back female members 14 and has two end connectors 15 and 16. The members 13 and 14 fit end to end to form fluid-tight ball and socket universally rotatable joints therebetween.

Claims

1. A flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner core comprising:

a plurality of first and second members resiliently inter-engaged alternatively end to end along a length of the core to form universally rotatable fluid tight joints between adjacent members,

the first members each including a uniform cross-sectioned central cylindrical tubular member having first and second ends, each of the first and second ends being integrally formed with a first connection member having a part spherical male outer surface, the central cylindrical tubular member having a smaller outer diameter than the outer diameter of the part spherical outer member, and

the second members each including a uniform cross-sectioned central cylindrical tubular member having a constant wall thickness and first and second ends, each of the first and second ends being integrally formed with a second connection member having a part spherical female inner surface, the central cylindrical tubular member having a smaller outer diameter than the outer diameter of the part spherical outer member, the first and second members being snap-fit together with the first connection members engaged inside respective second connection members to form the fluid tight joints.

2. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner core of claim 1 wherein a minimum internal diameter of the tubular members of the first and second members are substantially the same.

3. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum core of claim 2, including a passage having a minimum internal diameter that is at least greater than 50% of a maximum external diameter of the passage.

4. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, including a flexible hose surrounding and extending along the length of the core.

5. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner core of claim 1 having a connector including a uniform cylindrical tube integrally formed at one end of the core with a female member, the female member being snap-fit to a male member of one of the first members to form a fluid tight joint.

6. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner core of claim 5, wherein a diameter of the uniform cylindrical tube is tapered adjacent a remote end away from the female member.

7. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner core of claim 5, in which the connector includes a male member disposed on the other end of the core, the male member being arranged to fit in a female connector provided on a vacuum cleaner.

8. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner core of claim 5, in which the connector includes a female member disposed on the other end of the core, the female member being arranged to fit with a male connector provided on a vacuum cleaner.

9. The flexible self-supporting plastic vacuum cleaner of claim 5, having a male connector at one end and female connector at the other end.