Accessory holder for vacuum cleaner

• US 6,098,241 A
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rexair LLC
• Original Assignee: Rexair, Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US09/360,604
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 15/323, 15/327.1, 15/327.2, 15/327.6
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0018 integrated in or removably mounted upon the suction cleaner for storing parts of said suction cleaner

Abstract

An accessory holder for a vacuum cleaner having a base member for supporting a plurality of vacuum accessories. The base member has a pair of arms for attaching the holder to a support structure on the vacuum cleaner. The arms include a tapered wedge projecting from the base member for intermeshing with a tapered channel in the support structure to provide a frictional retaining attachment of the base member to the support structure. The holder further includes a cradle portion extending from the base member for selectively engaging a portion of the vacuum cleaner wand to detachably secure the holder to the wand.

Claims

1. An accessory tool holder for a vacuum cleaner having a housing comprising:

a base member for supporting at least one vacuum accessory tool; and

at least one releasable attachment member for selectively attaching said base member to the housing on the vacuum cleaner, said attachment member comprising a first portion projecting from said base member for interacting with a second portion disposed on the housing to provide a frictional retaining attachment of said base member to the housing wherein said first portion of said attachment member includes a pair of spaced apart arms projecting outwardly from opposing ends of one side of said base member and said second portion includes a pair of substantially vertically extending channels for receiving said arms.

2. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base member includes at least one recessed cavity for receiving said vacuum accessory tool.

3. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 2 including at least one projection fixedly secured to said base member and extending outwardly from said recessed cavity.

7. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said arms includes an extension projecting inwardly toward said opposing arm with said extensions being in a facing relationship to each other.

8. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 7 wherein said base member includes a top surface and a bottom surface and said extensions include a tapered wedge extending along the length of said extension, said wedge tapering in width from said top surface to said bottom surface such that the width at said top surface is greater than the width at said bottom surface.

9. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 8 wherein said channels are tapered for receiving said extensions.

4. An accessory tool holder for a vacuum cleaner having a housing comprising:

a base member for supporting at least one vacuum accessory tool and including at least one recessed cavity for receiving said vacuum accessory tool;

at least one releasable attachment member for selectively attaching said base member to the housing on the vacuum cleaner, said attachment member comprising a first portion projecting from said base member for interacting with a second portion disposed on the housing to provide a frictional retaining attachment of said base member to the housing; and

at least one projection fixedly secured to said base member and extending outwardly from said recessed cavity wherein said cavity is defined by a first diameter and said projection is formed as a hollow tube defined by a second diameter with said tube extending from said base member to an open distal end, said second diameter being less than said first diameter to form a gap between said cavity and said projection for receiving a portion of said accessory.

5. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein said projection includes a plurality of longitudinal slots extending from said open distal end to said base member, said slots being spaced circumferentially about said projection to form a plurality of resilient sections between adjacent slots.

6. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said sections includes an inwardly curved tip adjacent to said open distal end for providing a guideway for said accessory tool as said accessory tool is installed in the holder.

10. An accessory tool holder for a vacuum cleaner having a housing comprising:

a base member for supporting at least one vacuum accessory tool; and

at least one releasable attachment member for selectively attaching said base member to the housing on the vacuum cleaner, said attachment member comprising a first portion projecting from said base member for interacting with a second portion disposed on the housing to provide a frictional retaining attachment of said base member to the housing wherein said at least one releasable attachment member is comprised of a first releasable attachment member for selectively securing said base member to the support structure of the vacuum cleaner and a second releasable attachment member for alternatively engaging a portion of a vacuum cleaner wand to detachably secure said base member to said portion of the wand.

11. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first releasable attachment member includes a pair of spaced apart arms projecting outwardly from opposing sides of said base member and said second releasable attachment member is formed as a cradle portion defined by an opening extending inwardly toward the center of said base member, said cradle portion being positioned between said arms.

12. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 11 wherein said opening is generally U-shaped having first and second ends interconnected by a curved crest and wherein said cradle portion includes a first pair of detents with one of said detents positioned at said first end of said opening and the other of said detents positioned at said second end of said opening, said first pair of detents for retaining said base member on the wand.

13. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 12 wherein the wand includes a resilient button for securing said accessory tool to the wand and wherein said cradle portion includes a second pair of detents positioned along said crest, said button being aligned between said second pair of detents to provide a biasing force of the wand against said first pair of detents to frictionally retain said base member to the wand.

14. An accessory tool holder for a vacuum cleaner having a housing and a cleaning wand comprising:

a base member for supporting at least one vacuum accessory tool;

a first releasable attachment member for selectively attaching said base member to the housing on the vacuum cleaner for support thereon; and

a second releasable attachment member for selectively and independently attaching said base member to the cleaning wand for support thereon.

15. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first releasable attachment member includes a pair of spaced apart arms projecting outwardly from opposing sides of said base member.

16. An accessory holder as set forth in claim 15 wherein said second releasable attachment member is formed as a cradle portion defined by an opening extending inwardly toward a center of said base member, said cradle portion being positioned between said arms.

17. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of said arms includes tapered wedges for engaging corresponding tapered channels on the housing to provide a frictional retaining attachment of said base member to the housing.

18. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 14 wherein said second releasable attachment member is formed as a cradle portion defined by an opening extending inwardly toward a center of said base member.

19. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 18 wherein said cradle portion includes a first pair of detents extending into said opening for gripping said base member to a tubular portion of the wand.

20. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 19 wherein the wand includes a resilient button for securing said accessory tool to the wand and wherein said cradle portion includes a second pair of detents extending into said opening such that said button is aligned between said second pair of detents to provide a biasing force of the wand against said first pair of detents to frictionally retain said base member to the wand.

21. An accessory holder as set forth in claim 14 wherein said at least one vacuum accessory tool is comprised of a plurality of vacuum accessory tools and said base member includes a plurality of recessed cavities, each of said cavities for receiving one of said vacuum accessory tools.

22. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 21 including a plurality of projections fixedly secured to said base member with one projection extending outwardly from each of said recessed cavities such that a gap is formed between said cavities and said projections for receiving a portion of each of said vacuum accessory tools.

23. An accessory tool holder as set forth in claim 22 wherein said projections include a plurality of longitudinal slots spaced circumferentially about said projections to form a plurality of resilient sections between adjacent slots, each of said sections extending to an inwardly curved distal tip for providing a guideway for each of said vacuum accessory tools as each of said accessory tools is installed in the holder.

24. A vacuum cleaner assembly comprising:

a housing including a first engagement portion;

a cleaning wand connectable to said housing and including a second engagement portion; and

an accessory holder for supporting at least one vacuum accessory tool, said holder including a base member and a plurality of releasable attachment members for selectively engaging said first engagement portion to secure said holder to said housing independently from said wand and for selectively engaging said second engagement portion to secure said holder to said wand independently from said housing.

25. An assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said plurality of releasable attachment members is comprised of a first releasable attachment member for selectively securing said base member to said first engagement portion and a second releasable attachment member for selectively securing said base member to said second engagement portion.

26. An assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein said first releasable attachment member is comprised of a pair of spaced apart arms projecting outwardly from opposing sides of said base member, each of said arms having a tapered wedge, and wherein said first engagement portion is comprised of a pair of tapered channels, said wedges for engaging said channels to provide a frictional retaining attachment of said base member to said housing.

27. An assembly as set forth in claim 26 wherein said second releasable attachment member is comprised of a cradle portion defined by an opening extending inwardly toward a center of said base member and including a first pair of detents extending into said opening for gripping said second engagement portion to attach said base member to said wand.

28. An assembly as set forth in claim 27 wherein said wand includes a resilient connector for securing said accessory tool to said wand and wherein said cradle portion includes a second pair of detents extending into said opening such that said connector is aligned between said second pair of detents to provide a biasing force of said wand against said first pair of detents to frictionally retain said base member to said wand.

29. An assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said at least one vacuum accessory tool is comprised of a plurality of vacuum accessory tools and said base member includes a plurality of recessed cavities for receiving said vacuum accessory tools.

30. An assembly as set forth in claim 29 including a plurality of projections fixedly secured to said base member with one projection extending outwardly from each of said recessed cavities such that a gap is formed between said cavities and said projections for receiving a portion of each of said accessory tools.