Steering assembly for surface cleaning device
First Claim
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1. A surface cleaning device operable to clean a surface, the surface cleaning device comprising:
- a foot;
a handle assembly including a user manipulated handle, the handle assembly being pivotally coupled to the foot for movement between an upright position and an inclined position;
a steering assembly including a biasing member coupled between the handle assembly and the foot; and
a suction conduit extending between the foot and the handle assembly to provide fluid communication from the foot to the handle assembly, the suction conduit being positioned outside of the steering assembly;
wherein the handle assembly includes a longitudinal axis and an axis of rotation formed at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein rotation of the handle assembly relative to the foot about the axis of rotation stores energy within the biasing member such that the biasing member exerts a corresponding force on the foot to encourage turning of the foot; and
wherein the biasing member moves with the handle assembly relative to the foot when the handle assembly pivots between the upright position and the inclined position.
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Abstract
A surface cleaning device having a steering assembly is provided. The surface cleaning device includes a foot, a handle assembly with a user manipulated handle, and a steering assembly coupling the handle assembly to the foot. The steering assembly includes a means for biasing the foot with respect to the handle assembly. Movement of the handle assembly stores energy within the biasing means so that the biasing means exerts a corresponding force on the foot.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A surface cleaning device operable to clean a surface, the surface cleaning device comprising:
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a foot; a handle assembly including a user manipulated handle, the handle assembly being pivotally coupled to the foot for movement between an upright position and an inclined position; a steering assembly including a biasing member coupled between the handle assembly and the foot; and a suction conduit extending between the foot and the handle assembly to provide fluid communication from the foot to the handle assembly, the suction conduit being positioned outside of the steering assembly; wherein the handle assembly includes a longitudinal axis and an axis of rotation formed at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein rotation of the handle assembly relative to the foot about the axis of rotation stores energy within the biasing member such that the biasing member exerts a corresponding force on the foot to encourage turning of the foot; and wherein the biasing member moves with the handle assembly relative to the foot when the handle assembly pivots between the upright position and the inclined position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A surface cleaning device operable to remove debris from a surface, the surface cleaning device comprising:
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a foot; a handle assembly including a user manipulated handle, the handle assembly being pivotally coupled to the foot for movement between an upright position and an inclined position; and a steering assembly that pivotally couples the handle assembly to the foot, the steering assembly including a first pivot member coupled to a lower portion of the handle assembly such that the first pivot member rotates with the handle assembly about a pivot axis, a second pivot member coupled to the foot such that the second pivot member rotates with the foot about the pivot axis, the first and second pivot members coupled to each other for relative rotation about the pivot axis, and a biasing member positioned substantially enclosed within a cavity defined between the first pivot member and the second pivot member to resist relative rotation between the first pivot member and the second pivot member about the pivot axis, wherein rotation of the handle assembly and the first pivot member relative to the foot about the pivot axis stores energy within the biasing member such that the biasing member exerts a corresponding force on the second pivot member and the foot to encourage turning of the foot, wherein the biasing member turns the foot when the handle assembly is rotated and the foot is moved one of forward and backward; wherein the pivot axis moves with the handle assembly relative to the foot when the handle assembly pivots between the upright position and the inclined position;
wherein the biasing member is a generally cylindrical resilient member formed as a single piece of molded rubber. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A surface cleaning device operable to remove debris from a surface, the surface cleaning device comprising:
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a foot; a handle assembly including a user manipulated handle, the handle assembly being pivotally coupled to the foot for movement between an upright position and an inclined position; and a steering assembly coupling the handle assembly to the foot and including a device for biasing the foot with respect to the handle assembly, wherein the handle assembly includes a longitudinal axis and an axis of rotation formed at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein rotation of the handle assembly relative to the foot about the axis of rotation stores energy within the biasing device such that the biasing device exerts a corresponding force on the foot to encourage turning of the foot; wherein the acute angle between the axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis of the handle assembly remains constant as the handle assembly pivots between the upright position and the inclined position; wherein the biasing device includes a generally cylindrical resilient member; wherein the steering assembly includes a first pivot member coupled to the handle assembly and a second pivot member coupled to the foot, and wherein the generally cylindrical resilient member includes a first end portion received in the first pivot member and a second end portion received in the second pivot member; and wherein the steering assembly further includes a fastener extending through the generally cylindrical resilient member to couple the first pivot member to the second pivot member. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification