Canister vacuum cleaner

• US 6,615,446 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allen Leonard Noreen, Mary Ellen Noreen
• Original Assignee: Allen Leonard Noreen, Mary Ellen Noreen
• Inventors: Noreen, Allen Leonard, Noreen, Mary Ellen
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US10/002,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 153/271, 153/272, 153/276, 153/277, 154/10, 153/53
• US Class Current: 15/410
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/327 for suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing

Abstract

A canister type vacuum cleaning appliance with a collapsible handle, attached to the housing, that is adjustable to the height of the user and positioned such that the user can use the handle to move and guide the housing unit with one hand while moving about a room, or between rooms, while manipulating the hose assembly with the other hand.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising:

a horizontally oriented housing unit with front and back end portions, said housing unit containing the electric motor, an air impeller, and a dirt collecting reservoir;

a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasably attached to said front end portion of said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments;

front and back transport wheels attached to said housing unit to allow said housing unit to be easily moved;

a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said housing unit adjacent said front end portion of said housing unit;

a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle, wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position, and wherein said collapsible handle extends outwardly from said front end portion of the housing in the direction of the main axis of the housing unit wherein the extended position of said collapsible handle positions said hand grip at a height of about 20 to 36 inches when said front end portion of the housing unit is lifted such that the weight of the housing unit is on the back wheels and the angle of the main axis of the housing unit and the supporting surface is between about 30 and 80 degrees.

2. A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising:

a horizontally oriented housing unit with front and back end portions, said housing unit containing the electric motor, an air impeller, and a dirt collecting reservoir;

a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasably attached to said front end portion of said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments;

front and back transport wheels attached to said housing unit to allow said housing unit to be easily moved;

a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said housing unit adjacent said front end portion of said housing unit;

a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle, wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position, and wherein said collapsible handle extends outwardly from said front end portion of the housing in the direction of the main axis of the housing unit wherein said collapsible handle is a telescoping type handle.

3. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 2 wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is attached to the exterior surface of the housing unit.

4. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 2 wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is contained within the housing unit.

5. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 2 wherein said telescoping type handle has two telescoping shafts.

6. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 2 wherein said handle extends at least about 12 inches beyond the front edge of the front portion of said housing unit when said handle is in the extended position.

7. A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising:

a horizontally oriented housing unit with front and back end portions, said housing unit containing the electric motor, an air impeller, and a dirt collecting reservoir;

a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasably attached to said front end portion of said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments;

front and back transport wheels attached to said housing unit to allow said housing unit to be easily moved;

a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said housing unit adjacent said front end portion of said housing unit;

a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle, wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position, and wherein said collapsible handle extends outwardly from said front end portion of the housing unit at an upward angle of between about 35 and 75 degrees relative to the main axis of said housing unit.

8. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 7 wherein the extended position of said collapsible handle positions said hand grip at a height of about 20 to 36 inches such that movement of said housing unit can be achieved using the handgrip of said handle without lifting the front end portion of said housing unit.

9. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 7 wherein said distal end of said collapsible handle is attached in a hinged manner to the housing unit adjacent the front end portion of the housing unit such that in the collapsed position the handle lies adjacent the surface of the housing unit.

10. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 7 wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle.

11. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 7 wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle and wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is attached to the exterior surface of the housing unit.

12. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 7 wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle and wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is contained within the housing unit.

13. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 7 wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle wherein there are two telescoping shafts.

14. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 9 wherein said hinged handle has two shafts.

15. A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising:

a vertically oriented housing unit with top and bottom portions, said top portion of the housing unit containing the electric motor and an air impeller;

a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasably attached to said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments;

transport wheels attached to said bottom portion of said housing unit to allow said housing to be easily moved;

a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said bottom portion of the housing unit;

a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle, said collapsible handle having a generally vertical extended use position and a collapsed storage position, and wherein said distal end of said flexible hose assembly attaches to said bottom portion of said housing unit and wherein said distal end of said handle is attached to said bottom portion of said housing unit adjacent the attachment of said hose to said bottom portion of the housing unit.

16. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 15 wherein said handle is of the telescoping type.

17. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 15 wherein said telescoping handle has at least one shaft.

18. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 15 wherein said handle attaches to the outer surface of said bottom portion of said housing unit.

19. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 15 wherein said handgrip is at a height of between about 20 and about 36 inches when said handle is in an extended position.

20. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 15 wherein said handgrip is at a height of between about 20 and about 36 inches when said handle is in an extended position, and when said vertically oriented housing unit is tilted at an angle of about 30 to about 80 degrees relative to the support surface.

21. A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising a horizontally oriented housing unit with front and back end portions, said housing unit containing the electric motor, an air impeller, and a dirt collecting reservoir;

a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasably attached to said front end portion of said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments;

front and back transport wheels attached to said housing unit to allow said housing unit to be easily moved;

a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said housing unit in a hinged manner adjacent said front end portion of said housing unit;

a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle, wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position, and wherein said collapsible handle extends outwardly from said front end portion of the housing generally in the direction of the main axis of the housing unit wherein the extended position of said collapsible handle positions said hand grip at a height of about 20 to 36 inches when said front end portion of the housing unit is lifted such that the weight of the housing unit is on the back wheels and the angle of the main axis of the housing unit and the supporting surface is between about 30 and 80 degrees, and wherein collapsible handle is of the telescoping type, and wherein said collapsed position of said handle positions the handle adjacent the surface of the housing unit.

22. A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising:

a horizontally oriented housing unit with front and back end portions, said housing unit containing the electric motor, an air impeller, and a dirt collecting reservoir;

a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasably attached to said front end portion of said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments;

front and back transport wheels attached to said housing unit to allow said housing unit to be easily moved;

a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said housing unit in a hinged manner adjacent said front end portion of said housing unit;

a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle, wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position, and wherein said collapsible handle extends outwardly from said front end portion of the housing generally in the direction of the main axis of the housing unit wherein the extended position of said collapsible handle positions said hand grip at a height of about 20 to 36 inches when said front end portion of the housing unit is lifted such that the weight of the housing unit is on the back wheels and the angle of the main axis of the housing unit and the supporting surface is between about 30 and 80 degrees, and wherein said distal end of said collapsible handle is attached in a hinged manner to the housing unit adjacent the front end portion of the housing unit such that in the collapsed position the handle lies adjacent the surface of the housing unit.

23. A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising:

a generally cylindrically shaped vertically oriented housing unit with top and bottom portions, said top portion of the housing unit containing the electric motor and an air impeller;

a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of said flexible hose assembly adapted to releasably attached to said top portion of said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments;

transport wheels attached to said bottom portion of said housing unit to allow said housing unit to be easily moved;

a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said bottom portion of said housing unit; and

a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle, wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position, and wherein said collapsible handle has a generally vertical extended use position, wherein said distal end of said flexible hose assembly attaches to said top portion of said housing unit at a distance less than half the diameter of the generally cylindrical housing unit from where said handle attaches to said bottom portion of said housing unit when viewed from above.

24. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 23 wherein said handle is of the telescoping type.

25. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 24 wherein said telescoping handle has at least one shaft.

26. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 23 wherein said handle attaches to the outer surface of said bottom portion of said housing unit.

27. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 23 wherein said handgrip is at a height of between about 20 and about 36 inches when said handle is in an extended position.

28. A vacuum cleaning appliance of claim 23 wherein said handgrip is at a height of between about 20 and about 36 inches when said handle is in an extended position, and when said vertically oriented housing unit is tilted at an angle of about 30 to about 80 degrees relative to the support surface.