Hand grip and upper handle assembly for a self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner
First Claim
1. A self-propelled vacuum cleaner having an electric motor, a floor engaging portion having a suction inlet and at least one drive wheel for propelling said vacuum cleaner over a floor surface, a transmission for selectively drivingly connecting said motor to said at least one drive wheel and selectively propelling said cleaner in forward and reverse directions over a floor surface, a housing pivotally connected to said floor engaging portion, wherein the improvement comprises:
- an electric power switch located adjacent to a top of said housing and electrically connected to said motor for selectively turning said motor on and off;
a control link in said housing having a lower end attached to said transmission for selectively actuating said transmission into forward, reverse and neutral and an upper end located adjacent to said housing remote from said transmission; and
a handle stem having a hand grip reciprocally mounted thereon and a power button mounted thereon, a grip rod extending down from said hand grip and out a lower end of said handle stem, and a switch rod extending down from said power button and out the lower end of said handle stem;
wherein the lower end of said handle stem is adapted for connection to the top of said housing, said upper end of said control link and a lower end of said grip rod are configured and located such that said lower end of said grip rod engages and interconnects with said upper end of said control link when said handle stem is attached to said housing, and said power switch and a lower end of said switch rod are located and configured such that said lower end of said switch rod engages said power switch when said handle stem is attached to said housing, whereby an operator may actuate the transmission via said hand grip and actuate said power switch via said power button.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A self propelled upright vacuum cleaner is provided that has at least one drive wheel, a transmission for selectively driving the drive wheel in forward and reverse and propelling the cleaner in forward and reverse over a floor. A bag housing pivotally connected to the floor engaging portion. An electric power switch located adjacent to a top of the bag housing. A control link extending from the transmission and up the bag housing, with a top end of the control link being located adjacent to the top of the bag housing. An upper handle assembly having a hand grip reciprocally mounted thereon and a power switch button mounted thereon. The lower end of the upper handle assembly is adapted for connection to the top of the bag housing, such that the upper end of the control link and the hand grip are automatically interconnected when the upper handle assembly is attached to the bag housing. Furthermore, the power switch the power button are operatively interconnected when the upper handle assembly is attached to the bag housing.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A self-propelled vacuum cleaner having an electric motor, a floor engaging portion having a suction inlet and at least one drive wheel for propelling said vacuum cleaner over a floor surface, a transmission for selectively drivingly connecting said motor to said at least one drive wheel and selectively propelling said cleaner in forward and reverse directions over a floor surface, a housing pivotally connected to said floor engaging portion, wherein the improvement comprises:
-
an electric power switch located adjacent to a top of said housing and electrically connected to said motor for selectively turning said motor on and off; a control link in said housing having a lower end attached to said transmission for selectively actuating said transmission into forward, reverse and neutral and an upper end located adjacent to said housing remote from said transmission; and a handle stem having a hand grip reciprocally mounted thereon and a power button mounted thereon, a grip rod extending down from said hand grip and out a lower end of said handle stem, and a switch rod extending down from said power button and out the lower end of said handle stem; wherein the lower end of said handle stem is adapted for connection to the top of said housing, said upper end of said control link and a lower end of said grip rod are configured and located such that said lower end of said grip rod engages and interconnects with said upper end of said control link when said handle stem is attached to said housing, and said power switch and a lower end of said switch rod are located and configured such that said lower end of said switch rod engages said power switch when said handle stem is attached to said housing, whereby an operator may actuate the transmission via said hand grip and actuate said power switch via said power button. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A self-propelled vacuum cleaner having an electric motor, a floor engaging portion having a suction inlet and at least one drive wheel for propelling said vacuum cleaner over a floor surface, a transmission for selectively drivingly connecting said motor to said at least one drive wheel and selectively propelling said cleaner in forward and reverse directions over a floor surface, a housing pivotally connected to said floor engaging portion, wherein the improvement comprises:
-
a control link in said housing having a lower end attached to said transmission for selectively actuating said transmission into forward, reverse and neutral and a top end located adjacent to said housing remote from said transmission; and a handle stem having a hand grip reciprocally mounted thereon, a lower end of said stem being configured for attachment to said housing by moving said handle stem in a direction normal to a longitudinal axis of said housing; and said hand grip having a connector located such that said connector engages said top end of said control link when said handle stem is attached to said housing and automatically interconnects said control link to said hand grip. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification