Battery-powered electric vacuum cleaner system

• US 6,066,211 A
• Filed: 11/20/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Servicemaster Management Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Servicemaster Company (Rentokil Initial PLC)
• Inventors: Sandell, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/197,401
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 15/327.5, 15/339, 15/344, 134/21, 224/902, 224/930
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/244 for telescopic or extensible hoses or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery-powered electric vacuum cleaner system including: a 12-volt battery other than a Nickel Cadmium battery; a belt and pouch for hands-free carrying of the 12-volt battery; a charger for charging the battery, the charger being capable of outputting substantially more than 2 amps; and a battery-powered electric vacuum cleaner. The battery-powered electric vacuum cleaner having an elongated substantially cylindrical hollow extension wand, which allows a person standing upright to clean a floor with the vacuum cleaner.

Claims

1. A battery-powered electric vacuum cleaner system, comprising:

a 12-volt battery other than a Nickel Cadmium battery;

means for hands-free carrying of the 12-volt battery;

a charger for charging the battery, the charger being capable of outputting substantially more than 2 amps; and

a battery-powered electric vacuum cleaner including;

a front body housing for retaining dirt picked up by the cleaner, the front body housing containing a 12-volt D.C. motor, the motor being electrically coupled to the battery,

a rear housing containing a fan, the fan being operatively connected to the motor, the rear housing being removably attached to the rear of the front body housing,

a filter removably inserted into the front body housing for removing dirt from the air stream produced by the fan,

an elongated substantially cylindrical hollow extension wand having a first end attached to the front end of the front body housing, and

a floor tool attached to a second end of the extension wand for contacting surfaces to be cleaned by the cleaner such that a person can clean a floor with the vacuum cleaner while the person is standing upright.

2. The system as in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one additional 12-volt battery other than a Nickel Cadmium battery.

3. The system as in claim 2, further comprising:

at least one additional charger capable of outputting substantially more than 2 amps.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein the means for hands-free carrying of the 12-volt battery comprises a belt and a pouch for carrying the battery.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein the battery is a lead-acid sealed gel-cell battery.

6. The system as in claim 5 wherein the battery has a capacity of substantially greater than 5 amp-hours.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein the motor is a can-type permanent magnet 96-watt motor.

8. The system as in claim 1 wherein the wand is rigid, at least 18 inches long, and is made of chrome-plated steel.

9. A method for using a portable battery-powered vacuum cleaner, comprising the steps of:

charging a 12-volt battery other than a Nickel Cadmium battery with a charger capable of outputting substantially more than 2 amps;

carrying the 12-volt battery in a hands-free manner;

coupling the battery to an electric vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner including a 12-volt DC motor and an extension wand;

energizing the motor; and

vacuuming a floor from an upright standing position using the portable battery-powered vacuum cleaner.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

uncoupling the battery from the electric vacuum cleaner; and

coupling one or more additional 12-volt batteries, one at a time, other than Nickel Cadmium batteries, to the electric vacuum cleaner.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

using one or more additional battery chargers capable of outputting substantially more than 2 amps to charge the one or more additional batteries.

12. A portable battery-powered vacuum cleaner system, comprising:

means for charging a 12-volt battery other than a Nickel Cadmium battery with a charger capable of outputting substantially more than 2 amps;

means for carrying the 12-volt battery in a hands-free manner;

means for coupling the battery to an electric vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner including a 12-volt DC motor and an extension wand; and

means for energizing the motor so that a person can clean a floor with the portable battery-powered vacuum cleaner while the person is standing upright.

13. The portable battery-powered vacuum cleaner system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for uncoupling the battery from the electric vacuum cleaner and for coupling one or more additional 12-volt batteries, one at a time, other than Nickel Cadmium batteries, to the electric vacuum cleaner.

14. The portable battery-powered vacuum cleaner system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for using one or more additional battery chargers capable of outputting substantially more than 2 amps to charge the one or more additional batteries.