Upright type vacuum cleaner capable of being converted to canister type

• US 7,624,475 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Woongjin Coway Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ACE Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Im Suk
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US11/504,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20070039121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 153/28, 153/29, 153/31, 153/34, 153/35
• US Class Current: 15/335
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an upright type vacuum cleaner capable of being converted to a canister type. The vacuum cleaner comprises a main body having a suction port and a discharge port, a suction unit having a dust collecting port and a discharge opening, and on which the main body is rotatably installed, a handle installed to the main body, an extension pipe disposed between the handle and the main body and having a hollow inner space to define a flow passage for foreign substances, a securing mechanism between the extension pipe and the main body to restrict a circumference of the extension pipe, a cover installed at a portion of the main body where the securing mechanism and a lower end of the extension pipe are disposed, and an attaching mechanism between the securing mechanism and the cover to allow the extension pipe to be detached from the securing mechanism.

Claims

1. An upright type vacuum cleaner capable of being converted to a canister type, comprising:

a main body having a suction port and a discharge port, and including a suction device inside the suction port;

a suction unit having a dust collecting port and a discharge opening, and on which the main body is detachably installed;

a handle installed at an upper portion of the main body;

an extension pipe detachably installed to the main body between the handle and the main body, and having a hollow inner space to define a flow passage into which foreign substances are induced;

a securing mechanism installed between the extension pipe and the main body to restrict a circumference of the extension pipe; and

a suction hose connected at one end with the suction port, and constructed so as to be capable of selective connection at the other end to each of the discharge opening and the handle.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cover installed at a portion of the main body where the securing mechanism and the extension pipe are disposed.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising:

an attaching mechanism installed between the securing mechanism and the cover to allow the extension pipe to be detached from or attached to the securing mechanism by manipulation of a user.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the handle is formed with a fastening hole section located above an upper end of the extension pipe when the handle is coupled to the extension pipe, and to which the suction hose is coupled to communicate with the extension pipe through the fastening hole section.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the extension pipe is provided with a securing protrusion at a portion thereof corresponding to the securing mechanism such that the securing protrusion is protruded from or retracted into the extension pipe in a lateral direction, and with a C-shaped spring between an inner end of the securing protrusion and an inner wall of the extension pipe.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a seating part recessed into one side of the main body, a semicircular-shaped frame having both ends fastened to the seating part to restrict the circumference of the extension pipe, and a latch hole formed through the frame and into which the securing protrusion is fitted.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the cover is provided with a plurality of wheels.

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, further comprising:

a cover installed at a portion of the main body where the securing mechanism and the extension pipe are disposed; and

an attaching mechanism installed between the securing mechanism and the cover to allow the extension pipe to be detached from or attached to the securing mechanism by manipulation of a user;

wherein the attaching mechanism comprises a through-hole formed on the cover corresponding to the latch hole, a knob retractably installed to the through-hole, and a spring disposed between the knob and the cover.

9. An upright type vacuum cleaner capable of being converted to a canister type, comprising:

a main body having a suction port and a discharge port, and including a suction device inside the suction port;

a suction unit having a dust collecting port and a discharge opening, and on which the main body is detachably installed;

an extension pipe detachably installed to the main body, and having a hollow inner space to define a flow passage into which foreign substances are induced;

a handle installed to an upper end of the extension pipe to form an extend flow passage into which the foreign substances are induced;

a suction hose connected at one end with the suction port, and constructed so as to be capable of selective connection at the other end to each of the discharge opening to allow dust induced into the suction unit to be induced into the main body and with the handle detached from the main body when the vacuum cleaner is converted to the canister type; and

a suction head installed to a lower end of the extension pipe when the vacuum cleaner is converted to the canister type.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the handle comprises a handle body installed to the upper end of the extension pipe and adapted to define an extended portion of the flow passage through which the foreign substances are induced;

a movement prevention mechanism installed between the handle body and the extension pipe; and

a handle cover installed to a front side of the handle body to hold the movement prevention mechanism and the handle body.

11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the handle body has threads formed around an outer wall of a lower end so as to be fastened by a securing cap of the movement prevention mechanism, and a fastening hole section having a latch groove formed on an inner wall of an upper end of the fastening hole section such that the suction hose is coupled to the fastening hole section to define the extended portion of the flow passage through which the foreign substances are induced.

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the movement prevention mechanism comprises seating grooves formed on an upper circumference of the extension pipe, a securing clip fitted into the seating grooves, an insertion hole formed on the handle body and through which the securing clip penetrates, and a securing cap to restrict the handle body and the handle cover enclosing the securing clip and the insertion hole.

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the seating grooves comprise a pair of grooves depressed into the upper circumference of the extension pipe, elongated in a horizontal direction, and spaced a predetermined distance from each other.

14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the securing clip has a C-shape such that both ends of the securing clip are fitted into the seating grooves.