SURFACE TREATING APPLIANCE

• US 20110088206A1
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: FORD, Matthew William, Wills, Andrew James
• Granted Patent: US 8,683,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/363
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0054 Stands or the like for temporary interruption of work
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies

Abstract

An upright surface treating appliance includes a main body and a cleaner head connected to a yoke. The main body is rotatable relative to the yoke about a first axis for movement between an upright position and a reclined position. A stand is moveable relative to both the main body and the yoke, preferably also about this first axis between a supporting position for supporting the main body in its upright position, and a retracted position. The stand is biased towards its retracted position by a spring. An actuator is rotatable about a second axis spaced from the first axis to move the stand away from its supporting position against the biasing force of the torsion spring. A drive member drives rotation of the actuator about the second axis as the main body is moved from a reclined position to an upright position. The actuator has a set of teeth which meshes with a profiled surface to drive the movement of the stand away from its supporting position

Claims

1. An upright surface treating appliance comprising:

a main body;

a cleaner head connected to a yoke, the main body being rotatable relative to the yoke about a first axis for movement between an upright position and a reclined position;

a stand moveable relative to both the main body and the yoke between a supporting position for supporting the main body in its upright position, and a retracted position;

a biasing mechanism for biasing the stand towards its retracted position;

an actuator rotatable about a second axis, spaced from the first axis, to move the stand towards its supporting position against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism; and

a drive member for driving a rotation of the actuator about the second axis as the main body is moved from a reclined position to an upright position;

wherein the actuator comprises a set of teeth which mesh with a profiled surface to drive the movement of the stand towards the supporting position.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the actuator and the drive member are connected to a respective one of the main body and a part of the appliance other than the main body or the stand.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drive member is connected to the main body.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the actuator is connected to the yoke.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the profiled surface is located on the stand.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the profiled surface comprises a set of teeth.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the profiled surface at least partially surrounds a connector for connecting the stand to the main body.

8. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the stand is pivotable relative to the main body about a pivot axis, and wherein the profiled surface at least partially surrounds the pivot axis.

9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the actuator forms part of a gear arrangement for driving the movement of the stand towards its supporting position.

10. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a first gear which meshes with a second gear of the gear arrangement to drive the movement of the stand towards its supporting position.

11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the gear ratio between the first gear and the second gear is at least 1:

3.

12. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the set of teeth of the actuator extends partially about the external periphery of the actuator.

13. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the actuator comprises an arm located opposite to the set of teeth of the actuator, and wherein the drive member is arranged to engage the arm of the actuator to rotate the actuator about the second axis.

14. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drive member comprises a drive pin.

15. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism is arranged to urge the stand toward one of its supporting position and its retracted position depending on the relative positions of the main body and the stand.

16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises an over-center spring mechanism.

17. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the over-center spring mechanism comprises a torsion spring having one end connected to the stand and another end connected to the main body.

18. The appliance of claim 1, comprising a pair of wheels rotatably connected to the yoke.

19. The appliance of claim 18, wherein the outer surfaces of the wheels have a substantially spherical curvature.

20. The appliance of claim 18, wherein the wheels at least partially delimit a substantially spherical volume containing at least the actuator and the drive member.

21. The appliance of claim 18, wherein each wheel is rotatable about a respective rotational axis, the rotational axes being mutually inclined.

22. The appliance of claim 18, wherein each of the wheels comprises a rim, and the yoke comprises an outer surface located between the rims of the wheels and having a curvature which is substantially the same as the curvature of the wheels.