UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20160227972A1
• Filed: 02/18/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 10,076,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 5/28 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 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets

Abstract

Several embodiments of an upright surface cleaning apparatus are disclosed. The surface cleaning apparatus has a first cyclonic cleaning stage and comprises a surface cleaning head having a dirty fluid inlet. A fluid flow path extends from the dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet of the upright surface cleaning apparatus. A support member is mounted to the surface cleaning head. A portable cleaning unit is removably mounted to the surface cleaning apparatus.

Claims

1. An upright surface cleaning apparatus operable in an upright configuration and a portable configuration, the upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a first dirty fluid inlet;

(b) a support member moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head;

(c) an above floor cleaning wand moveable between a floor cleaning position and an above floor cleaning position, the above floor cleaning wand comprising a rigid conduit having a second dirty fluid inlet at an upstream end of the rigid conduit and an upright section handle proximate a downstream end of the rigid conduit and a flexible hose having an air inlet end in flow communication with the downstream end of the rigid conduit and an air outlet end, wherein in the floor cleaning position, the upright section handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head;

(d) a cleaning and suction unit removably mounted to the support member and useable when removed from the support member, the cleaning and suction unit comprising a suction motor and a cleaning stage;

(e) a fluid flow path from the first dirty fluid inlet to the cleaning and suction unit,

wherein, in the upright configuration, an upright assembly is provided that comprises the surface cleaning head, the support member, the above floor cleaning wand and the cleaning and suction unit and, when in the portable configuration a portable assembly is provided that comprises the cleaning and suction unit and the above floor cleaning wand,

and wherein the air outlet end of the flexible hose remains connected to the suction and cleaning unit when the suction and cleaning unit is removed from the support member, the inlet end of the flexible hose remains connected to the rigid conduit when the suction and cleaning unit is removed from the support member, and, in the upright configuration, the air inlet end of the flexible hose is above an inlet end of the rigid conduit.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member is receivable in a housing provided on a side of the cleaning and suction unit.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the support member is receivable in a lower portion of the housing and the above floor cleaning wand is connected to an upper section of the housing.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the support member comprises a rigid up flow duct.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the above floor cleaning wand extends along a first longitudinal axis when connected to the housing and the housing further comprises an air inlet that communicates with the air outlet of the above floor cleaning wand and that has a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the air inlet of the above floor cleaning wand is removably connectable to an upper section of the housing, whereby the handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head when the cleaning and suction unit is mounted to the support member.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning and suction unit is vertically removeable from the support member.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member comprises a rigid up flow duct and the cleaning and suction unit is vertically removeable from the up flow duct.

9. An upright surface cleaning apparatus having a cyclonic cleaning stage and comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty fluid inlet and a support member moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head;

(b) a fluid flow path extending from the dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet of the upright surface cleaning apparatus;

(c) a cleaning and suction unit removable and useable as a portable surface cleaning apparatus, the cleaning and suction unit comprising a suction motor, an above floor cleaning wand and at least one cyclone having a cyclone inlet and a cyclone chamber;

(d) the above floor cleaning wand comprises a rigid conduit having an air inlet, a flexible hose having an air outlet and a handle, the handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head along a driving axis when the cleaning and suction unit is mounted to the support member and the flexible hose is exterior to the driving axis; and

,

(e) an airflow conduit extending from the air inlet of the rigid conduit to the cyclone inlet and comprising the flexible hose.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein, in the upright configuration, the air inlet end of the flexible hose is above an inlet end of the rigid conduit.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the upright section handle is provided proximate the downstream end of the rigid conduit.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a mounting assembly removably mounting the cleaning and suction unit to the support member, the mounting assembly having an upper section for removably receiving an end of the above floor cleaning wand and a lower section for removably receiving an end of the support member.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the support member comprises a rigid up flow duct.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the cleaning and suction unit is vertically removeable from the support member.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the support member comprises a rigid up flow duct and the cleaning and suction unit is vertically removeable from the up flow duct.

16. An upright surface cleaning apparatus operable in an upright configuration and a portable configuration, the upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a first dirty fluid inlet;

(b) an upright section comprising an upright section handle drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head and a removably mounted cleaning and suction unit, the cleaning and suction unit comprising a suction motor and a cleaning stage;

(c) a fluid flow path from the first dirty fluid inlet to the cleaning and suction unit; and

,

(d) an above floor cleaning wand moveable between a floor cleaning position and an above floor cleaning position, the above floor cleaning wand comprising a rigid conduit and a flexible hose having an air inlet end and an air outlet end, the upright section handle is provided proximate a downstream end of the rigid conduit,

wherein, in the upright configuration, an upright assembly is provided that comprises the surface cleaning head and the upright section and, when in the portable configuration a portable assembly is provided that comprises the cleaning and suction unit and the upright section handle.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein the air outlet end of the flexible hose remains connected to the suction and cleaning unit when the suction and cleaning unit is removed from the support member and the inlet end of the flexible hose remains connected to the rigid conduit when the suction and cleaning unit is removed from the support member.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein, in the upright configuration, the air inlet end of the flexible hose is above an inlet end of the rigid conduit.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein, in the upright configuration, the upright section handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head and the flexible hose is exterior to the driving axis.