Surface cleaning apparatus with different cleaning configurations

• US 9,301,663 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/550,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20150074937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 153/28, 153/29, 153/31, 153/34, 153/35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/38 Machines, specially adapted for cleaning walls, ceilings, roofs, or the like
• 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 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/36 Suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing; Suction cleaners for fixing on staircases; Suction cleaners for carrying on the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0018 integrated in or removably mounted upon the suction cleaner for storing parts of said suction cleaner
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0027 specially adapted for holding the suction cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0045 specially adapted for holding the suction tube
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/248 Parts, details or accessories of hoses or pipes nozzles A47L9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprises a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet. A support structure is moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head and a portable cleaning unit is removably mounted to the support structure. An above floor cleaning wand is provided. The wand is removable from the support structure without removal of the cleaning unit from the support structure and the cleaning unit is removable from the support structure without disconnecting the wand from the support structure.

Claims

1. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position;

(c) a cleaning unit removably mounted to the the support structure and operable in an upright mode wherein the cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure and is in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head, the cleaning unit comprising a suction motor and an air treatment member wherein the cleaning unit is also operable in a portable mode wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure while maintaining the cleaning unit in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head;

(d) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and comprising an upstream portion that extends from the dirty air inlet to the surface cleaning unit wherein, when the cleaning unit is in the upright mode and the portable mode, the suction motor and the air treatment member are positioned in the air flow path upstream of the clean air outlet;

(e) a wand mounteable to the support structure and a flexible air flow conduit downstream of the wand wherein the cleaning unit is also operable in an above floor cleaning mode in which in the wand is removed from the support structure and the wand and the flexible air flow conduit are in air flow communication upstream of the cleaning unit; and

,

(f) each of the wand and the cleaning unit is separately removable from the support structure wherein when the upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the upright mode the wand is mounted to a portion of the support structure and the cleaning unit is mounted to;

supported by the portion of the support structure and an inlet end of the wand is located below an upper end of the cleaning unit.

4. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wand is removable while the cleaning unit remains in position on the support structure and while the wand remains in air flow communication with the cleaning unit.

5. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises an up flow duct and the up flow duct is moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head.

6. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises an upper opening in fluid flow communication with the dirty air inlet and the wand is received within the upper opening when mounted to the support structure.

7. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cleaning unit is removably mounted to an exterior of the support structure and the wand is received within the upper opening when mounted to the support structure.

8. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein the support structure comprises first and second longitudinally spaced apart cleaning unit mounting members.

9. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an upright handle, wherein the cleaning unit is removable from the support structure while the upright handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head.

10. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inlet end of the wand is receivable within the support structure.

11. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wand has an inlet end that is positioned in the portion of the support structure along which the cleaning unit is attached when the wand is mounted to the support structure and the portion of the support structure remains mounted to the surface cleaning head when the wand is removed while the cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure.

2. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;

(b) a longitudinally extending upper portion moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position, the upper portion comprising first and second longitudinally spaced apart portable surface cleaning unit mounting members;

(c) a portable surface cleaning unit removably mounted to the first and second longitudinally spaced apart portable surface cleaning unit mounting members and comprising a suction motor and an air treatment member wherein, when the portable surface cleaning unit is mounted to the first and second longitudinally spaced apart portable surface cleaning unit mounting members, the portable cleaning unit is operable in an upright mode in which the cleaning unit is in air flow communication with the dirty air inlet;

an above floor cleaning wand removably mounted in the upper portion and removable when the portable surface cleaning apparatus is mounted to the first and second longitudinally spaced apart portable surface cleaning unit mounting members wherein the cleaning unit is also operable in an above floor cleaning mode in which the wand is removed from the upper section and the wand and a flexible air flow conduit are in air flow communication upstream of the cleaning unit wherein when the upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the upright mode the wand is mounted to a portion of the upper portion, the cleaning unit is mounted to and supported by the portion of the upper portion and an inlet end of the wand is located below an upper end of the cleaning unit.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first portable surface cleaning unit mounting member extends laterally and the second portable surface cleaning unit mounting member is a lower mounting member provided on an outer surface of the upper portion.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second portable surface cleaning unit mounting member provides a support on which the portable surface cleaning unit seats when mounted to the upper portion.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the upper portion comprises a portion of an air flow path from the dirty air inlet to the above floor cleaning wand.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the surface cleaning head comprises an air flow path from the dirty air inlet to a cleaning head outlet and when the above floor cleaning wand is positioned in the upper portion, an inlet end of the above floor cleaning wand faces the cleaning head outlet.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein in the above floor cleaning mode, the portable surface cleaning unit is mounted to the upper portion and an air flow path extends from an inlet end of the wand to the cleaning unit and comprises a flexible hose downstream from the wand and in the upright mode the cleaning unit is mounted along a portion of the support structure to which the wand is mounted.

3. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position;

(c) a cleaning unit removably mounted to the support structure and operable in an upright mode wherein the cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure and is in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head, the cleaning unit comprising a suction motor and an air treatment member, wherein the cleaning unit is also operable in a portable mode wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure;

(d) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and comprising an upstream portion that extends from the dirty air inlet to the surface cleaning unit, wherein when the cleaning unit is in the upright mode and the portable mode, the suction motor and the air treatment member are positioned in the air flow path upstream of the clean air outlet;

(e) a wand removably mounted to the support structure and a flexible air flow conduit downstream of the wand, wherein the cleaning unit is also operable in an above floor cleaning mode in which in the wand is removed from the support structure and the wand and the flexible air flow conduit are positioned upstream of the cleaning unit; and

,

(f) the wand is removable while the cleaning unit remains in position on the support structure and the cleaning unit is removable while the wand remains in position on the support structure;

wherein when the wand and the cleaning unit are each mounted to the support structure, the wand has an inlet end that is positioned in a portion of the support structure which supports the cleaning unit in a stable position when in the upright mode and wherein the portion of the support structure remains mounted to the surface cleaning head when the wand is removed.

17. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position;

(c) a cleaning unit removably mounted to the support structure and operable in an upright mode wherein the cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure and is in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head, the cleaning unit comprising a suction motor and an air treatment member, wherein the cleaning unit is also operable in a portable mode wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure;

(d) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and comprising an upstream portion that extends from the dirty air inlet to the surface cleaning unit wherein, when the cleaning unit is in the upright mode and the portable mode, the suction motor and the air treatment member are positioned in the air flow path upstream of the clean air outlet;

(e) a wand removably mounted to the support structure and a flexible air flow conduit downstream of the wand, wherein the cleaning unit is also operable in an above floor cleaning mode in which in the wand is removed from the support structure and the wand and the flexible air flow conduit are positioned upstream of the cleaning unit; and

,

(f) the wand is removable while the cleaning unit remains in position on the support structure and the cleaning unit is removable while the wand remains in position on the support structure,

wherein a portion of the support structure to which the cleaning unit is stably mountable remains in position when the wand is removed and wherein the portion of the support structure to which the cleaning unit is has a cleaning unit mounting member to which the cleaning unit is removably mounted and the wand overlaps the portion of the support structure when the wand is mounted to the support structure.