Surface cleaning apparatus

• US 9,386,895 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2012
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• 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): Muller, Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US13/541,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20120272472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 154/10, 153/29, 153/28, 153/31, 153/35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprises a support structure moveably connected to a surface cleaning head and having an air treatment member mounted to the upright section. The support structure is bendable and is operated by a remote actuator.

Claims

1. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet of a surface cleaning head to a clean air outlet and including a suction motor;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head, the support structure comprising an upper portion rotatably mounted to a lower portion about a rotation axis that intersects a longitudinal axis of at least one of the upper and lower portions and a releasable lock located at a juncture of the upper and lower portions;

(c) a cleaning unit comprising an air treatment member the suction motor and a central longitudinal axis with a first side on one side of the longitudinal axis and a second opposed side on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis, the cleaning unit is removably mounted to the support structure on the first side of the central longitudinal axis and the rotation axis is positioned proximate the second side of the cleaning unit on the second side of the central longitudinal axis, opposite the first side, wherein an upper end of the air treatment member is located below the rotation axis;

wherein the air flow path includes a portion extending from the dirty air inlet to the cleaning unit, the lower portion comprises part of the portion of the air flow path, and,

(d) a grip located on the upper portion distal to the juncture and a lock actuator positioned on the grip, wherein the lock is releasable by operation of the lock actuator.

2. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upper portion includes a handgrip portion and the actuator is positioned on or proximate the handgrip portion.

3. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the portion of the air flow path includes a removably mounted cleaning wand.

4. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the portion of the air flow path from the dirty air inlet to the cleaning unit further comprises a flexible hose, and wherein the cleaning wand is positioned downstream of the lower portion and upstream of the flexible hose.

5. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cleaning wand is removably mounted to the lower portion.

6. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary cleaning tool removably mounted to the upper portion.

7. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure has an absence of a housing defining a recess for receiving the cleaning unit.

8. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower portions comprise longitudinally extending rods.

9. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upper portion is forwardly rotatable about the rotation axis.

10. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure is pivotally mounted to the surface cleaning head.

11. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit is mounted to the lower portion.

12. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portion of the air flow path from the dirty air inlet to the cleaning unit further comprises a flexible hose, and wherein the cleaning unit is useable in a first configuration wherein the cleaning unit is mounted on the support structure and at least one additional configuration wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure and attached in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head by the air flow path wherein, in the additional configuration, the flexible hose provides a flexible connection between the cleaning unit and the support structure.

13. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit is useable in a first configuration wherein the cleaning unit is mounted on the support structure, a second configuration wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure and attached in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head and a third configuration wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure and removed from air flow communication with the surface cleaning head and useable as a hand vacuum cleaner.

14. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit is useable in a first configuration wherein the cleaning unit is mounted on the support structure, and at least one additional configuration wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure and attached in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head by the air flow path.

15. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surface cleaning head comprises rear wheels having an axis of rotation and the rotation axis is positioned forward of the axis of rotation of the rear wheels.

16. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet of a surface cleaning head to a clean air outlet and including a suction motor;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head, the support structure comprising an upper portion rotatably mounted to a lower portion about an axis that intersects a longitudinal axis of at least one of the upper and lower portions and a releasable lock located at a juncture of the upper and lower portions, wherein the upper portion is forwardly rotatable about the axis from a first position, in which the lock is engageable to inhibit rotation of the upper portion relative to the lower portion, to a second position; and

(c) a cleaning unit comprising an air treatment member and the suction motor, the cleaning unit being removably mounted to the lower portion of the support structure by a mounting structure directly connected to the air treatment member; and

,

wherein the air flow path includes a portion extending from the dirty air inlet to the cleaning unit and comprises a flexible hose, and wherein the cleaning unit is useable in a first configuration wherein the cleaning unit is mounted on the support structure and a second configuration wherein the cleaning unit is removed from the support structure and attached in air flow communication with the surface cleaning head by the air flow path wherein, in the second configuration, the flexible hose provides a flexible connection between the cleaning unit and the support structure.

17. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein the surface cleaning head comprises rear wheels having an axis of rotation and the rotation axis is positioned forward of the axis of rotation of the rear wheels.

18. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet of a surface cleaning head to a clean air outlet and including a suction motor;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head, the support structure comprising an upper portion rotatably mounted to a lower portion about a rotation axis that intersects a longitudinal axis of at least one of the upper and lower portions and a releasable lock located at a juncture of the upper and lower portions;

(c) a cleaning unit comprising an air treatment member, the suction motor, a central longitudinal axis, a first side on one side of the central longitudinal axis and a second opposed side on an opposite side of the central longitudinal axis, and the cleaning unit is removably mounted to the support structure with the first side facing the support structure wherein an upper end of the air treatment member is located below the rotation axis and wherein the rotation axis is positioned on a side of the central longitudinal axis opposite to the side on which the first side of the cleaning unit is located and wherein the air flow path includes a portion extending from the dirty air inlet to the cleaning unit, the lower portion comprises part of the portion of the air flow path; and

(d) a grip located on the upper portion distal to the juncture and a lock actuator positioned on the grip, wherein the lock is releasable by operation of the lock actuator.

19. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the surface cleaning head comprises rear wheels having an axis of rotation and the rotation axis is positioned forward of the axis of rotation of the rear wheels.