Nozzle lift and adjustment mechanism for an upright vacuum cleaner

• US 5,906,024 A
• Filed: 02/07/1997
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Inventors: Graham, Scott R., Frederick, William H., Metzger, Eric R., Hall, Jeffrey A., Meek, Steven K., Jailor, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US08/797,573
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 15/354, 15/361, 15/333
• US Class Current: 15/354
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/34 with height adjustment of nozzles or dust-loosening tools

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein relates to an improved vacuum cleaner comprising a foot, a handle pivotally mounted to the foot, and a vacuum motor mounted to one of the handle and the foot. The foot has a suction inlet fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and an agitator brush rotatably mounted to the foot. The improvement relates to a wheel assembly comprising a housing, an axle mounted to the housing and at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the axle. The housing has an integrally-molded flange extending therefrom. The wheel assembly rollably supports the vacuum cleaner on a floor surface. A channel is formed in the foot and is adapted to pivotably mount the housing flange for movement between a first and a second position. In the first position, the wheel assembly supports the suction inlet at a first distance relative to the floor surface. In the second position, the wheel assembly supports the suction inlet at a second distance therefrom.

Claims

1. An improved vacuum cleaner comprising a foot, a handle pivotally mounted to the foot, a vacuum motor mounted to one of the handle and the foot, the foot having a suction inlet fluidly connected to the vacuum motor, and an agitator brush rotatably mounted to the foot, the improvement comprising:

(1) a wheel assembly comprising a housing, an axle mounted to the housing and at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the axle, the housing having a plurality of integrally-molded flanges extending therefrom, each flange having a bracket at an outer end thereof, each bracket being a cylindrical member, wherein the wheel assembly is adapted to rollably support the vacuum cleaner on a floor surface;

(2) a plurality of inverted U-shaped members formed in the foot wherein each U-shaped member defines an interior portion, and wherein each bracket is received within the interior portion of a corresponding U-shaped member to pivotally mount the housing with respect to the foot;

(3) a height adjustment mechanism mounted to the foot in abutment with the wheel housing adapted to retain the wheel housing in a first and a second position relative to the foot;

whereby, when the height adjustment mechanism is located in the first position, the wheel assembly supports the suction inlet at a first distance relative to the floor surface and, when the height adjustment mechanism is located in the second position, the wheel assembly supports the suction inlet at a second distance relative to the floor surface.

2. The improved vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the height adjustment assembly comprises:

(1) an actuator movably mounted to the foot and adapted to be actuated between a first setting, a second setting and at least one intermediate setting; and

(2) a cam mounted to the actuator and in abutment with the wheel assembly so that movement imparted to the actuator is transmitted to the wheel assembly via the cam;

whereby actuation of the actuator causes the cam to position the wheel assembly a preselected distance from the floor surface.

3. The improved vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the cam has a radial edge which abuts the wheel assembly.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the actuator comprises a sector-shape member rotatably mounted to the foot.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4 wherein the actuator has an outer radial surface which includes several shallow indentations thereon whereby the indentations aid a user in grasping the actuator for actuation thereof.

6. The improved vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the actuator has at least one indentation thereon.

7. The improved vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the height adjustment assembly further comprises a shaft having a first end mounted to the actuator and a second end mounted to the cam whereby motion imparted to the actuator is transmitted through the shaft to the cam.

8. The improved vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the vacuum motor is mounted to at least one of the handle and the foot so that the vacuum motor rotates when the handle is pivoted.

9. The improved vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein the vacuum motor further comprises a vacuum motor housing, the vacuum motor housing has a radially-extending first protrusion provided thereon adapted to abut the wheel assembly when the handle is pivoted to a non-use position.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9 wherein the first protrusion on the vacuum motor housing comprises generally a right triangular shape.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the vacuum motor housing has a second protrusion extending radially therefrom whereby the second protrusion is adapted to retain the handle in an intermediate position.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the second protrusion is adapted to retain the handle at approximately a 45 degree angle with respect to vertical.

13. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a foot having a plurality of U-shaped members formed therein, each U-shaped member having an interior portion;

(b) a handle pivotally mounted to the foot;

(c) a vacuum motor mounted to one of the handle and the foot;

(d) a suction inlet provided in the foot and fluidly connected to the vacuum motor;

(e) an agitator brush rotatably mounted to the foot;

(f) a wheel assembly pivotally mounted to the foot comprising;

(i) a housing having a plurality of integrally-molded flanges, each flange having a cylindrical bracket at an outer end thereof which is received in a corresponding interior portion of a corresponding U-shaped member in the foot;

(ii) an axle mounted to the housing; and

(iii) at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the axle wherein the wheel assembly rollably supports the vacuum cleaner on a floor surface; and

(g) an adjustment mechanism mounted to the foot and comprising a cam abutting the wheel assembly and an actuator rotatably mounted to the foot, the actuator being mounted to the cam whereby rotation of the actuator rotates the cam and positions the wheel assembly to preselected discrete positions with respect to the foot.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the actuator comprises a sector-shaped member rotatably mounted to the foot.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the sector-shaped member has an outer radial surface which includes several shallow indentations thereon whereby the indentations aid a user in grasping the wheel for actuation thereof.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13 further comprising a shaft journaled to the foot and having a first end mounted to the actuator and a second end mounted to the cam whereby motion imparted to the actuator is transmitted through the shaft to the cam.

17. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a foot having a plurality of U-shaped members formed therein, each U-shaped member having an interior portion;

(b) a handle pivotally mounted to the foot;

(c) a vacuum motor housing rotatably mounted to one of the handle and the foot and having a radially-extending protrusion thereon;

(d) a suction inlet provided on the foot and fluidly connected to the vacuum motor;

(e) an agitator brush rotatably mounted to the foot;

(f) a wheel assembly pivotally mounted to the foot comprising;

(i) a housing having a plurality of integrally-molded flanges, each flange having a cylindrical bracket at an outer end thereof which is received in a corresponding interior portion of a corresponding U-shaped member in the foot;

(ii) an axle mounted to the housing; and

(iii) at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the axle wherein the wheel assembly rollably supports the vacuum cleaner on a floor surface;

(g) the vacuum motor adapted to rotate when the handle is pivoted and the protrusion on the vacuum motor being adapted to abut the wheel assembly when the handle is moved to a storage position;

whereby when the handle is moved to the storage position, the protrusion on the vacuum motor abuts the housing and urges the housing downwardly so that the foot is moved to a raised position with respect to a floor surface.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the protrusion on the vacuum motor housing comprises generally a right triangular shape.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the vacuum motor housing has a second protrusion extending radially therefrom whereby the second protrusion is adapted to retain the handle in an intermediate position.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19 wherein the second protrusion is adapted to retain the handle at approximately a 45 degree angle with respect to vertical.