Height adjustment mechanism for a cleaning tool

• US 5,991,972 A
• Filed: 02/09/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rexair, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rexair, Inc.
• Inventors: Krebs, Alan Joseph, Cummins, Craig Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Chris K.
• Application Number:
  US09/020,433
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 15/354, 15/355, 15/359
• US Class Current: 15/354
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/34 with height adjustment of nozzles or dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0494 Height adjustment of dust-loosening tools

Abstract

A cleaning tool having a height adjustment mechanism which may be overridden to prevent damage to the cleaning tool in the event an excessively high force is applied to an exterior surface of the cleaning tool. The height adjustment mechanism forms an overrideable clutch having a manually adjustable thumbwheel, a biasing member and a clutch member. The height adjustment assembly is operably associated with a roller assembly which supports the cleaning tool on a work surface at a desired height above the work surface. The application of a predetermined excessive force to an exterior surface of the cleaning tool causes the height adjustment assembly to be de-clutched to allow the lower surface of the cleaning tool to come in contact with the work surface, thereby preventing damage to the various internal components of the cleaning tool.

Claims

1. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner assembly having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism, said height adjustment mechanism comprising:

at least one roller assembly supporting said main body portion and movable between at least one extended position and a retracted position relative to said main body portion;

a clutch member having a second engaging surface and rotatably secured to a mounting bracket having a first engaging surface, said clutch member mechanically connected to said roller assembly;

a biasing member biasing said second engaging surface of said clutch member against said first engaging surface of said mounting bracket;

said clutch member movable between a clutched position and a de-clutched position when a predetermined force is applied to said main body portion;

said clutch member maintaining said roller assembly at said at least one extended position when said clutch member is at said clutched position and permitting said roller assembly to move to said retracted position when at said de-clutched position.

2. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second engaging surface includes at least one protrusion and said first engaging surface includes a plurality of recesses, said at least one protrusion received in one of said plurality of recesses when said clutch member is at said clutched position and said at least one protrusion displaced from said one of said plurality of recesses when said clutch member is at said de-clutched position.

3. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second engaging surface includes at least one protrusion and said first engaging surface includes a plurality of holes, said at least one protrusion received in one of said plurality of holes when said clutch member is at said clutched position and said at least one protrusion displaced from said one of said plurality of holes when said clutch member is at said de-clutched position.

4. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a thumbwheel rotatably secured to said mounting bracket;

said thumbwheel slidably keyed to said clutch member and said biasing member located between said clutch member and said thumbwheel, said biasing member biasing said thumbwheel away from said clutch member;

a pivot bar mechanically coupled to said thumbwheel; and

rotation of said thumbwheel rotating said pivot bar and moving said roller assembly between a plurality of extended positions relative to said main body portion.

5. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said thumbwheel further includes a projecting neck portion having a rib and extending perpendicularly to said thumbwheel;

said clutch member further includes a boss portion having a hollowed central area with a channel, said boss portion extending perpendicularly from said clutch member; and

said neck portion is slidably received in said boss portion thereby keying said thumbwheel to said clutch member.

6. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said height adjustment mechanism includes a plurality of said roller assemblies and rotation of said pivot bar moves each of said roller assemblies between said plurality of extended positions.

7. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said roller assembly further includes a shaft portion having a first end and a second end, said first end including a channel, said channel receiving said pivot bar, said second end having a yolk rotatably supporting a roller;

and

said main body portion includes a guide portion, said shaft portion slidably received in said guide portion.

8. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein said roller assembly further includes a coil spring;

said coil spring slidably received on said shaft portion between said channel and said guide portion; and

said coil spring biasing said channel away from said guide portion.

9. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner assembly having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism, said height adjustment mechanism comprising:

at least one roller assembly movable between a plurality of extended positions and a retracted position relative to said main body portion, said roller assembly supporting said main body portion;

a pivot bar operatively connecting said roller assembly to a thumbwheel;

said thumbwheel secured to a mounting bracket and rotatable about a longitudinal axis, rotation of said thumbwheel moving said at least one roller assembly between said retracted position and said plurality of extended positions;

a key mechanism keying said thumbwheel to a clutch member, said key mechanism rotating said clutch member concurrently with a rotation of said thumbwheel, said key mechanism permitting longitudinal movement of said clutch member along said longitudinal axis independent from longitudinal movement of said thumbwheel along said longitudinal axis;

said clutch member rotatably secured to said mounting bracket, said clutch member movable between a clutched position and a de-clutched position in response to one of rotation of said thumbwheel or a pre-determined force applied against said main body portion; and

said clutch member maintaining said at least one roller assembly at any one of said plurality of extended positions when said clutch member is at said clutched position and permitting said roller assembly to move between said plurality of extended positions and said retracted position when at said de-clutched position.

10. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner assembly having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 9 wherein said thumbwheel further includes a pivot pin extending perpendicularly to the rotational plane of said thumbwheel and contacting said pivot bar.

11. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner assembly having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 9 further including a plurality of roller assemblies.

12. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner assembly having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pivot bar is substantially U-shaped, said pivot bar operatively connecting said plurality of roller assemblies to said thumbwheel.

13. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 9 further including a biasing force between said thumbwheel and said clutch member, said biasing force biasing said thumbwheel away from said clutch member.

14. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner assembly having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 13 wherein said mounting bracket includes a first engaging surface and said clutch member includes a second engaging surface, said second engaging surface biased against said first engaging surface by said biasing force.

15. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first engaging surface includes a plurality of recesses and said second engaging surface includes at least one protrusion, said at least one protrusion received in one of said plurality of recesses when said clutch member is at said clutched position and said at least one protrusion displaced from said one of said plurality of recesses when said clutch member is at said de-clutched position.

16. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first engaging surface includes a plurality of holes and said second engaging surface includes at least one protrusion, said at least one protrusion received in one of said plurality of holes when said clutch member is at said clutched position and said at least one protrusion displaced from said one of said plurality of holes when said clutch member is at said de-clutched position.

17. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 9 wherein said key mechanism comprises:

a projecting neck portion having a rib and extending perpendicularly from said thumbwheel;

a boss portion having a hollowed central area with a channel extending perpendicularly from said clutch member; and

said neck portion is slidably received in said boss portion thereby keying said thumbwheel to said clutch member.

18. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 9 wherein said at least one roller assembly further includes:

a shaft portion having a first end and a second end, said first end including a channel, said channel receiving said pivot bar, said second end having a yolk rotatably supporting a roller; and

said main body portion includes a guide portion, said shaft portion slidably received in said guide portion.

19. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 18 wherein said roller assembly further includes a coil spring;

said coil spring slidably received on said shaft portion between said channel and said guide portion; and

said coil spring biasing said channel away from said guide portion.

20. A method for cleaning a surface with a cleaning tool and providing an adjustment mechanism for said cleaning tool, said method comprising the following steps:

connecting a cleaning tool having a main body portion and rotating a brush member to a vacuum source;

moving a height adjustment mechanism having a clutch member to one of a plurality of positions to select a height above the cleaning surface for the cleaning tool;

supporting the main body portion at the selected height above a surface to be cleaned by at least one roller assembly connected to the height adjustment mechanism;

cleaning the surface by passing the cleaning tool over the surface; and

retracting the at least one roller assembly into the main body portion, thereby collapsing the cleaning tool onto the surface in response to application of a pre-determined force to the main body portion.

21. A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaner assembly having a main body portion and a height adjustment mechanism, said height adjustment mechanism comprising:

at least one roller assembly supporting said main body portion and movable between at least one extended position and a retracted position relative to said main body portion;

a clutch member having a second engaging surface and rotatably secured to a mounting bracket having a first engaging surface;

a thumbwheel rotatably secured to said mounting bracket and mechanically connected to said roller assembly, said thumbwheel slidably keyed to said clutch member, rotation of said thumbwheel moving said roller assembly between said at least one extended position and said retracted position;

a biasing member located between said thumbwheel and said clutch member, said biasing member biasing said second engaging surface of said clutch member against said first engaging surface of said mounting bracket;

said clutch member movable between a clutched position and a de-clutched position when a predetermined force is applied to said main body portion;

said clutch member maintaining said roller assembly at said at least one extended position when said clutch member is at said clutched position and permitting said roller assembly to move to said retracted position when at said de-clutched position.