Electric vacuum cleaner and nozzle unit therefor

• US 6,345,408 B1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kosaka, Genji, Inoue, Teruhisa, Yagi, Mikio, Hato, Shigenori, Ohta, Kei, Tamura, Taichi, Shindou, Masaru, Hikida, Nobuharu, Nagai, Kiyomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Chris K.
• Application Number:
  US09/357,818
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 154/151, 153/61, 154/11, 153/83, 285/7
• US Class Current: 15/361
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0416 driven by fluid pressure, e.g. by means of an air turbine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0483 Reciprocating or oscillating tools, e.g. vibrators, agitators, beaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/244 for telescopic or extensible hoses or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/327 for suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing

Abstract

A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner has a body case 32 with a nozzle 34a open toward a surface to be cleaned, a first pipe 35 coupled to the body case 32 so as to be rotatable in the direction J1, and a second pipe 36 coupled to the first pipe 35 so as to be rotatable in the direction J2. A first and a second air flow passage, formed inside the first and second pipes 35 and 36 respectively, are arranged substantially in a straight line as seen in a side view. The first pipe 35 has a sliding portion 35a that has an arc-shaped cross section and that slides along the inner surface of the body case 32, and this sliding portion 35a is arranged inside the body case 32, which is substantially rectangular, as seen in a plan view.

Claims

1. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a body case having a nozzle open toward a surface to be cleaned, the body case having a substantially rectangular shape;

a first pipe that has a first air flow passage for allowing passage of a flow of air sucked in through the nozzle and that is coupled to the body case so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to a direction of longer sides of the nozzle, the first pipe having a pivotally sliding portion that slides along the body case as the first pipe rotates, the pivotally sliding portion arranged inside the body case; and

a second pipe rotatably coupled to the first pipe, the second pipe having a second air flow passage that communicates with the first air passage,

wherein the first and second air flow passages are arranged substantially along a straight line, and the second pipe is rotatably mounted to said first pipe about a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the first air flow passage.

2. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the first air flow passage is rotatable between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position relative to the surface to be cleaned.

3. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rotation axis of the second pipe lies substantially at a center of the body case in a direction of longer sides of the body case, and the width of the first and second pipes in a direction of shorter sides of the body case is smaller than the width of the body case in the same direction when the first pipe is held perpendicularly to the surface to be cleaned.

4. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, further including means for restricting rotation of the second pipe when the first air flow passage is substantially parallel to the surface to be cleaned.

5. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the first air flow passage has a maximum cross-sectional area when its angle relative to the surface to be cleaned is in a predetermined range.

6. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

an engagement member having an arc-shaped cross section and engaged with the first pipe so as to be interlocked therewith in accordance with a rotation angle of the first pipe; and

an opening provided in the body case so as to allow rotation of the first pipe, the opening being closed by the pivotally sliding portion, which has an arc-shaped cross section and which slides along an inner surface of the body case, and by the engagement member.

7. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a locking member having an arc-shaped cross section and engaged with the engagement member in accordance with a rotation angle of the first pipe, the locking member being arranged inside the engagement member.

8. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a covering portion provided at a front end of the engagement member so as to close a gap between the engagement member and the body case.

9. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

casters provided on a bottom surface of the body case so as to roll on the surface to be claimed, the casters being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the surface to be claimed.

10. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the casters can be moved translationally along the surface to be cleaned.

11. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, wherein the casters are arranged inside the body case.

12. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

recessed portions provided in the bottom surface of the body case so as to have openings in peripheral surfaces of the body case, the recessed portions being used to arrange the casters.

13. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

supporting members, provided one pair for each of the casters, for supporting shafts of the casters on both sides of the casters; and

reinforcing members for bridging between each pair of supporting members in front of and behind the casters.

14. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a body case having a nozzle open toward a surface to be cleaned, the body case having a substantially rectangular shape;

a first pipe that has a first air flow passage for allowing passage of a flow of air sucked in through the nozzle and that is coupled to the body case so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to a direction of longer sides of the nozzle, the first pipe having a pivotally sliding portion that slides along the body case as the first pipe rotates, the pivotally sliding portion arranged inside the body case; and

a second pipe rotatably coupled to the first pipe, the second pipe having a second air flow passage that communicates with the first air passage,

wherein the first pipe has an opening provided to allow rotation of the second pipe, and has a movable shutter for closing the opening.

15. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the shutter is interlocked with the second pipe.

16. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a restricting member for restricting rotation of the second pipe relative to the first pipe.

17. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16,

wherein the restricting member has a force-loading member and a ball.

18. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16,

wherein the restricting member has a dust-proof member for preventing entry of dust.

19. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a body case having a nozzle open toward a surface to be cleaned, the body case having a substantially rectangular shape;

a first pipe that has a first air flow passage for allowing passage of a flow of air sucked in through the nozzle and that is coupled to the body case so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to a direction of longer sides of the nozzle, the first pipe having a pivotally sliding portion that slides along the body case as the first pipe rotates, the pivotally sliding portion arranged inside the body case;

a second pipe rotatably coupled to the first pipe, the second pipe having a second air flow passage that communicates with the first air passage; and

a rotary brush rotatably arranged inside the body case, the rotary brush having a hollow shaft and blades provided so as to protrude from the shaft, the blades each having a plurality of through holes that communicate with an inside of the shaft.

20. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a body case having a nozzle open toward a surface to be cleaned;

a suction pipe rotatably coupled to the body case so as to allow passage of a flow of air sucked in through the nozzle, the suction pipe having a pivotally sliding portion that has an arc-shaped cross section and that slides along an inner surface of the body case; and

a rotary brush rotatably arranged inside and substantially concentrically with the pivotally sliding portion.

21. A nozzle unit for an electric vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

an air inlet provided on the body case, the air inlet allowing air to be sucked in to rotate the rotary brush;

an engagement member that has an arc-shaped cross section and that is engaged with the suction pipe so as to be interlocked therewith in accordance with a rotation angle of the suction pipe, the engagement member having a hole that communicates with the air inlet; and

an opening provided in the body case so as to allow rotation of the suction pipe, the opening being closed by the sliding portion, which has an arc-shaped cross section and which slides along the inner surface of the body case, and by the engagement member.