Vacuum cleaner for household refuse

• US 6,141,822 A
• Filed: 03/24/1999
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Certech SA
• Original Assignee: Certech SA
• Inventors: Jimenez, Antonio, Riviera-Boklund, Agneta
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US09/269,470
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 15/327.2, 15/327.3, 15/327.4, 15/327.5, 15/325, 15/339
• US Class Current: 15/325
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/36 Suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing; Suction cleaners for fixing on staircases; Suction cleaners for carrying on the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/06 for supporting the suction cleaner on the exhaust air
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

The invention concerns a vacuum cleaner including an internal structure with a motor (12a) driving an air sucking turbine (12) located in a downstream chamber (16) communicating with an upstream chamber (15) containing means (13, 26) for filtering the air sucked in through an air intake (24). The internal structure is enclosed in an inflatable peripheral structure (30) supplied with air through the air outlet (29) of the downstream chamber (16). The inflatable peripheral structure (30) is delimited by a flexible peripheral wall (32) whose envelope completely encloses the assembly of the vacuum cleaner internal structure. The invention is applicable to vacuum cleaners for household refuse, and provides at an inexpensive and efficient protection against collisions between the vacuum cleaner and surrounding objects.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner for household refuse comprising an internal structure having means for aspirating air laden with household refuse via an air inlet, means for filtering the aspirated air and retaining the household refuse that it contains, means for evacuating the filtered air via at least one air outlet, and an inflatable peripheral structure supplied with air via said air outlet, wherein the inflatable peripheral structure is delimited by at least one flexible outside peripheral wall the envelope of which entirely surrounds all of the internal structure of the vacuum cleaner comprising the air suction, filter and exhaust means,

wherein the inflatable peripheral structure includes a first free passage in line with the air inlet to enable connection of an air suction tube to the air inlet, the first free passage being surrounded by a protruding inflatable lip relative to which the air inlet is set back.

2. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the inflatable peripheral structure constitutes a bearing surface through which the vacuum cleaner can rest on the floor.

3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable peripheral structure includes a second free passage through which passes a cord for connecting the vacuum cleaner to the external electrical power distribution network, the second free passage being surrounded by a protruding inflatable lip.

4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable peripheral structure is in one piece delimited by a continuous outside peripheral wall.

5. A vacuum cleaner for household refuse comprising an internal structure having means for aspirating air laden with household refuse via an air inlet, means for filtering the aspirated air and retaining the household refuse that it contains, means for evacuating the filtered air via at least one air outlet, and an inflatable peripheral structure supplied with air via said air outlet, wherein the inflatable peripheral structure is delimited by at least one flexible outside peripheral wall the envelope of which entirely surrounds all of the internal structure of the vacuum cleaner comprising the air suction, filter and exhaust means,

wherein the inflatable peripheral structure includes a first inflatable peripheral member and a second inflatable peripheral member separated from each other by an annular groove through which a suction tube and/or a cord for connecting the vacuum cleaner to the external electrical power distribution network can be passed.

6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein each of the inflatable peripheral members is of annular shape with an end passage surrounded by a protruding inflatable lip.

7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein each of the inflatable peripheral members is of continuous enveloping shape.

8. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, wherein each of the inflatable peripheral members is of a blind cylindrical shape.

9. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, wherein each of the inflatable peripheral members is of a spherical dome shape.

10. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the two inflatable peripheral members are rotatable about a rotation axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the air inlet.

11. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the inflatable peripheral members are retained on the internal structure by axial guide means and turn about a cylindrical element of the internal structure with a layer of air between them blown by the vacuum cleaner.

12. A vacuum cleaner for household refuse comprising an internal structure having means for aspirating air laden with household refuse via an air inlet, means for filtering the aspirated air and retaining the household refuse that it contains, means for evacuating the filtered air via at least one air outlet, and an inflatable peripheral structure supplied with air via said air outlet, wherein the inflatable peripheral structure is delimited by at least one flexible outside peripheral wall the envelope of which entirely surrounds all of the internal structure of the vacuum cleaner comprising the air suction, filter and exhaust means,

wherein the inflatable peripheral structure includes a plurality of tubular inflatable peripheral members distributed at the periphery of the internal structure.