Cleaning apparatus for central vacuum system
First Claim
1. An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system comprising:
- a base body section including a back wall having an inlet aperture adapted for connection to a central vacuum source;
a front body section movably mounted on said base body section and extending over a forward side thereof, said front body section having a front wall, said base body section and said front body section together forming a central vacuum inlet structure capable of forming a vertically extending vacuum passageway leading to said inlet aperture, said inlet structure having a bottom portion adapted to form a dirt receiving opening through which dirt can enter said vacuum passageway, said inlet structure further providing a valve structure movable between a first position where a flow of air and debris through said vacuum passageway and said inlet aperture is prevented and a second position where the air and the debris can flow through said vacuum passageway and out said inlet aperture under a vacuum influence created by said central vacuum system when said inlet aperture is operatively connected to said central vacuum system; and
an electrical switch mechanism responsive to the movement of said front body section for actuating said central vacuum source which is turned on and operating when said front body section is moved to an ON position. wherein a predetermined movement of said front body section between an OFF position and said ON position causes said valve structure to move between said first position and said second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system includes a base body section with a back wall having an inlet aperture formed therein adapted for connection to a central vacuum source. A cover section is mounted on the base body section and extends over a forward side thereof. The cover section includes a front wall spaced from and opposite the back wall. The two sections together form an inlet housing defining a vacuum inlet chamber and this housing has a lower portion forming a dirt receiving opening that permits dirt to enter the chamber under a vacuum influence. A closure member is pivotably mounted on the body section and there is a mechanism for moving the closure member to open or close the inlet aperture. In a preferred embodiment, rails on the cover section engage two nubs on the closure member whereby sliding movement of the cover section causes the closure member to either close or open the aperture. There is an electrical switch mechanism responsive to the sliding movement of the cover section for actuating the central vacuum source. Preferably, the cover section can be swung upwardly to a position exposing the outlet aperture so that the end of a vacuum hose can be inserted therein.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system comprising:
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a base body section including a back wall having an inlet aperture adapted for connection to a central vacuum source;
a front body section movably mounted on said base body section and extending over a forward side thereof, said front body section having a front wall, said base body section and said front body section together forming a central vacuum inlet structure capable of forming a vertically extending vacuum passageway leading to said inlet aperture, said inlet structure having a bottom portion adapted to form a dirt receiving opening through which dirt can enter said vacuum passageway, said inlet structure further providing a valve structure movable between a first position where a flow of air and debris through said vacuum passageway and said inlet aperture is prevented and a second position where the air and the debris can flow through said vacuum passageway and out said inlet aperture under a vacuum influence created by said central vacuum system when said inlet aperture is operatively connected to said central vacuum system; and
an electrical switch mechanism responsive to the movement of said front body section for actuating said central vacuum source which is turned on and operating when said front body section is moved to an ON position. wherein a predetermined movement of said front body section between an OFF position and said ON position causes said valve structure to move between said first position and said second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system comprising:
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a base body section including a back wall having an inlet aperture adapted for connection to a central vacuum source;
a front body section movably mounted on said base body section and extending over a forward side thereof, said front body section having a front wall, said base body section and said front body section together forming a central vacuum inlet structure capable of forming a vacuum passageway leading to said inlet aperture, said inlet structure having an end portion adapted to form a dirt receiving opening through which dirt can enter said vacuum passageway, said inlet structure further providing a valve structure movable between a first position where a flow of air and debris through said vacuum passageway and said inlet aperture is prevented and a second position where the air and the debris can flow through said vacuum passageway and out said inlet aperture under a vacuum influence created by said central vacuum system when said inlet aperture is operatively connected to said central vacuum system; and
an electrical switch mechanism responsive to movement of said valve structure for actuating said central vacuum source which is turned on and operating by moving said valve structure to said second position, wherein a predetermined movement of said front body section between an initial position and another position causes said valve structure to move between said first position and said second position. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An inlet and switching device for a central vacuum system, comprising:
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a base body section including a back wall having an inlet aperture formed therein and adapted for connection to a central vacuum source, said inlet aperture being adapted for insertion of a central vacuum hose end;
a front body section mounted on said base body section and extending over a forward side thereof, said front body section having a front wall, said base body section and said front body section together forming a central vacuum inlet structure with a vacuum passageway therein and an end portion thereof forming a dirt receiving opening that opens into said passageway, said vacuum passageway extending at a substantial angle to a central axis of said inlet aperture and said dirt receiving opening being located away from said inlet aperture, said inlet structure further providing a valve structure movable between a closed position where a flow of air and debris through said vacuum passageway is prevented and an open position wherein the air and the debris can flow through said vacuum passageway and out said inlet aperture when vacuum is applied to the inlet aperture; and
an electrical switch mechanism mounted on said inlet structure for turning on and causing said central vacuum system to operate, wherein said front body section is mounted on said base body section so that said front body section can be moved from an initial position, in which said inlet aperture is covered thereby, to another position so that said inlet aperture is exposed at least sufficiently to permit a user to insert said central vacuum hose end into said inlet aperture. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system comprising:
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an inlet housing forming a vacuum inlet chamber having a debris receiving bottom opening, and having a back wall with an inlet aperture, said inlet aperture configured for connection to a suction-providing pipe of the central vacuum system, said inlet housing being adapted for mounting to a fixed supporting structure;
a valve device movably mounted in or on said inlet housing for selectively opening and closing said inlet aperture to the passage of air therethrough during operation of the central vacuum system, said inlet housing including a valve operating member for selectively operating the valve device to open and close the inlet aperture;
an electrical switch for activating and de-activating a vacuum cleaner motor of said central vacuum system; and
a downwardly extending inlet extension adjustably connected to said inlet housing and forming a passageway for debris to flow upwards into said vacuum inlet chamber through said bottom opening, wherein a debris-receiving opening is provided at a bottom end of said downward extension and is adapted for positioning adjacent a horizontal surface to be swept. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system comprising:
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a central vacuum inlet structure for mounting on a rigid support, said inlet structure including a back wall having an inlet aperture adapted for connection to a central vacuum source and a front wall extending over a forward side of said back wall, said inlet structure capable of forming a vertically extending vacuum passageway leading to said inlet aperture, said inlet structure having a bottom portion adapted to form dirt receiving opening through which dirt can enter said vacuum passageway and also providing a valve structure movable between a first position where a flow of air and debris through said vacuum passageway and said inlet aperture is prevented and a second position where air and debris can flow through said vacuum passageway and out said inlet aperture under a vacuum influence when said apparatus is connected to the central vacuum system and the latter is turned on; and
an electrical switch for activating and de-activating a vacuum cleaner motor of said central vacuum system, wherein said inlet structure includes a downwardly extending inlet extension adjustably connected to an upper portion of said inlet structure and forming part of said vacuum passageway and said dirt receiving opening, a bottom end of said inlet extension being movable for positioning adjacent a horizontal surface to be swept.
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36. An inlet and switching apparatus for a vacuum cleaning system comprising:
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a vacuum inlet structure for mounting on a rigid support, said inlet structure including a rear wall having an inlet aperture adapted for connection to a vacuum source and a front wall extending over a forward side of said rear wall, said inlet structure capable of forming a first vacuum passageway leading to said inlet aperture, said inlet structure having an end portion forming a first opening through which dirt can enter said first vacuum passageway and also providing a valve structure movable between a first position where a flow of air and debris through said vacuum passageway and said inlet aperture is prevented and a second position where air and debris can flow through said vacuum passageway and out said inlet aperture under a vacuum influence when said apparatus is connected to the vacuum cleaning system and the latter is turned on;
an electrical switch for activating and de-activating a vacuum cleaner motor of the vacuum cleaning system; and
a relatively rigid inlet extension adjustably connected to said inlet structure and forming a further passageway for dirt and debris to flow into said first passageway through said first opening, wherein a second opening for receiving debris is provided at an outer end of the inlet extension remote from said inlet structure and can be positioned adjacent a surface to be cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system said apparatus being suitable for mounting on a wall of a building and comprising:
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a base body section including a back wall having a debris-removing aperture formed therein and a rearwardly extending pipe section rigidly connected to said back wall at said aperture, said pipe section being connectible to a suction providing pipe of said central vacuum system;
a cover section mountable on said base body section and extending over a forward side thereof, said base body section and said cover section together forming an inlet housing defining a vacuum inlet chamber and having a dirt receiving opening at a bottom end thereof;
a valve member movably mounted in said inlet housing for selectively opening and closing said vacuum chamber for passage of air and debris therethrough, said inlet housing including a valve operating member for moving said valve member to open or close the vacuum chamber;
an electrical switch responsive to movement of said valve operating member for activating and de-activating a vacuum cleaner motor of the central vacuum system; and
a mounting bracket for mounting in a wall of a building so as to extend vertically and having a relatively large hole formed therein to snugly receive said pipe section and at least one small fastener-receiving hole. wherein said base body section is connectible to said mounting bracket by means of at least one fastener extending from said base body section into said at least one fastener receiving hole. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An inlet apparatus for a central vacuum system comprising:
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a tubular body forming an inlet aperture and adapted for connection to a central vacuum source at a location above floor level;
a front section connected to a front end of said tubular body and forming an enclosed chamber through which air and debris can flow during use of said apparatus, front section having a bottom aperture and a rear aperture, the rear aperture permitting said air and debris to flow into said tubular body;
an elongate inlet extension connectible to said front section at said bottom aperture and forming a downwardly extending substantially vertical passageway for air and debris to flow upwards and through said front section during use of said apparatus, said inlet extension having a debris-receiving bottom opening for positioning adjacent said floor level;
wherein the length of said inlet extension is adjustable in order to permit said debris-receiving bottom opening to be positioned adjacent said floor level. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. In an inlet apparatus for a central vacuum system comprising a tubular body forming an inlet aperture and adapted for connection to a central vacuum source at a location above floor level and a front section connected to one end of said tubular body and forming an enclosed air passage through which air and debris can flow during use of said apparatus, said front section having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the outlet opening permitting said air and debris to flow into said tubular body, the improvement comprising an elongate inlet extension connected to said front section at said inlet opening and forming a downwardly extending, substantially vertical passageway for air and debris to flow upwards and through said front section during use of said inlet apparatus, said inlet extension having a debris-receiving bottom opening that can be positioned adjacent said floor level, and said outlet opening of the front section being positioned at a rear end thereof.
Specification