Surface cleaning apparatus

• US 10,405,711 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest, Conrad, Nina, Petersen, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding, David
• Application Number:
  US15/250,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20180055311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• 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 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• 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 7/0019 Details of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0036 specially adapted for holding the suction hose
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0045 specially adapted for holding the suction tube
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/24 Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings hoses or hose joints in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/244 for telescopic or extensible hoses or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprises a surface cleaning head, a cleaning unit moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a generally upright position and a rearwardly inclined in use position, a push handle and an above floor cleaning assembly. The cleaning unit comprises an air treatment member and the push handle is rotatably mounted with respect to the cleaning unit. The above floor cleaning assembly comprises a flexible conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein in a floor cleaning mode a first portion of the flexible conduit having the outlet end is located on the second lateral side of the air treatment member and a second transverse portion of the flexible conduit extends from the second lateral side of the air treatment member over the upper end of the air treatment member to the first lateral side of the air treatment member wherein the second transverse portion is vertically spaced from the rotational joint.

Claims

1. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a front end, a rear end, a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, first and second laterally opposed sides, a dirty air inlet and a surface cleaning head air outlet;

(b) a cleaning unit moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a generally upright position and a rearwardly inclined in use position, the cleaning unit comprising an air treatment member assembly comprising an air treatment member comprising a chamber, a hose support positioned above the air treatment member and a suction motor, the air treatment member having an upper end, a front side and a rear side and first and second opposed lateral sides;

(c) a push handle comprising a first longitudinally extending member having a longitudinally extending drive axis and a hand grip portion provided at an upper end of the longitudinally extending member, a lower end of the longitudinally extending member is rotatably mounted with respect to the cleaning unit about a rotational joint located above the air treatment member assembly when the cleaning unit is in the upright position; and

,

(d) an above floor cleaning assembly comprising a flexible conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein in a floor cleaning mode a first portion of the flexible conduit having the outlet end is located on the second lateral side of the air treatment member and extends concurrently with the chamber and a second transverse portion of the flexible conduit extends from the second lateral side of the air treatment member over the upper end of the air treatment member to the first lateral side of the air treatment member

wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the second transverse portion is positioned above the rotational joint and is supported by the hose support, and

wherein a transverse plane that extends transverse to the central longitudinal axis extends through the chamber of the air treatment member and the first portion of the flexible conduit.

2. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the second transverse portion is positioned rearward of the rotational joint.

3. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the second transverse portion is positioned rearward of the rotational joint.

4. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air treatment member assembly comprises a dirt collection region that is located on the second lateral side of the air treatment member and in the floor cleaning mode the first portion of the flexible conduit is located behind the second dirt collection region.

5. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the air treatment member has a depth in a direction of the central longitudinal axis that is greater than a depth of the dirt collection region in a direction of the central longitudinal axis.

6. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive axis extends through the air treatment member assembly.

7. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the second transverse portion is positioned rearward of the rotational joint.

8. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the transverse plane that extends transverse to the central longitudinal axis extends through the rigid conduit.

9. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the second transverse portion is positioned rearward of the rotational joint.

10. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the air treatment member has a depth in a direction of the central longitudinal axis that is greater than a depth of the first dirt collection region and greater than a depth of the second dirt collection region in a direction of the central longitudinal axis.

11. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the above floor cleaning assembly further comprises a rigid conduit and the air treatment member assembly further comprises a first dirt collection region that is located on the first lateral side of the air treatment member and a second dirt collection region that is located on the second lateral side of the air treatment member, wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the rigid conduit is located behind the first dirt collection region and the first portion of the flexible conduit is located behind the second dirt collection region.

12. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the drive axis extends through the air treatment member assembly.

13. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the second transverse portion is positioned rearward of the rotational joint.

14. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, in the floor cleaning mode, the second transverse portion is positioned rearward of the rotational joint.

15. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the push handle is mounted to the upright section.

16. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the push handle further comprises a second longitudinally extending member wherein the first and second longitudinally extending members are telescopically mounted with respect to each other, the rotational joint is provided on the second longitudinally extending member and the lower end of the first longitudinally extending member is slidably receivable in the rotational joint wherein the rotational joint is in a locked position when the lower end of the first longitudinally extending member is received in the rotational joint.