Vacuum having accessory storage features

• US 8,046,868 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheddy, Gregg L., DiPasquale, Kathy E., Maid, Spencer G., Wright, Stuart J.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US11/870,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 153/23, 153/25, 153/272, 153/276, 153/277, D32 21- 24
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0027 specially adapted for holding the suction cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

A vacuum including a housing, a suction device disposed within the housing, a plurality of accessories operable to engage the suction device, a plurality of wheels mounted to the housing and at least one bumper disposed on the housing. The at least one bumper includes a retaining feature operable to store at least one of the accessories, and the at least one bumper is operable to protect at least one of the wheels to minimize damage thereto. At least one pocket is defined by the bumper. The pocket is adapted to store at least one of the accessories.

Claims

1. A vacuum comprising:

a housing;

a suction device disposed within said housing at least one attachment, wherein said suction device is adapted for fluid communication with said at least one attachment;

at least one bumper; and

at least one pocket defined in part by said at least one bumper and in part by an exterior surface of said housing, wherein said pocket is operable to retain a portion of said at least one attachment within the profile of said bumper.

2. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one bumper is mounted to said exterior surface of said housing and extending laterally from said housing so as to be operable to shield a wheel mounted to said housing.

3. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one bumper is adapted to retain a floor nozzle disposed against said housing.

4. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment is adapted to slidably engage said at least one pocket.

5. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment is at least one of an extension wand, a floor nozzle, or a crevasse tool.

6. The vacuum according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment is a crevasse tool adapted to be stored within at least one of an extension wand and said at least one pocket.

7. A vacuum accessory retention system comprising:

a housing;

at least one bumper disposed on said housing,

wherein at least one pocket is defined by said at least one bumper;

said at least one pocket is adapted to receive at least one accessory;

a floor nozzle including a hose engagement portion with a center axis and a floor engaging portion extending laterally from said center axis of said hose engagement portion; and

said at least one bumper includes a retention feature adapted to directly support said hose engagement portion of said floor nozzle so that said center axis of said hose engagement portion is horizontal.

8. The vacuum accessory retention system according to claim 7, wherein a portion of said at least one accessory is retained within a profile of said bumper.

9. The vacuum accessory retention system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one accessory is slidably received within said bumper.

10. The vacuum accessory retention system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one bumper is fixedly mounted to said housing.

11. A vacuum comprising:

a housing;

a suction device disposed within said housing;

a plurality of accessories operable to fluidly communicate with said suction device;

a plurality of wheels mounted to said housing;

at least one bumper disposed on said housing, wherein said at least one bumper includes a retention feature operable to store at least one of said plurality of accessories, and at least one of said at least one bumper is operable to protect at least one of said wheels to minimize damage thereto; and

at least one pocket defined by said at least one bumper, wherein said pocket is adapted to store at least one of said accessories having a longitudinal axis diagonally disposed directly above said at least one of said plurality of wheels.

12. The vacuum according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of accessories include at least one of an extension wand, a floor nozzle, or a crevasse tool.

13. The vacuum according to claim 11, wherein a portion of each of said plurality of accessories are retained within a profile of said at least one bumper to reduce an overall footprint of the vacuum.