HAND CARRYABLE SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

• US 20170196421A1
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: BROWN, Andre D., CONRAD, Wayne, CONRAD, Nina, COTTRELL, Lee M., THORNE, Jason B., UDY, Adam, PETERSEN, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 10,426,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• 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 5/26 with driven dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/00 Suction cleaners adapted for additional purposes suction devices for removing ash F23J1/02; Tables with suction openings for cleaning purposes; Containers for cleaning articles by suction; Suction cleaners adapted to cleaning of brushes; Suction cleaners adapted to taking-up liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0085 adapted for special purposes not related to cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel 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 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 : Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/322 : for hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 3/00 : Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 : Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner can include an air inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis, a suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation, and an air treatment member. The handle has a hand grip portion that extends upwardly and forwardly and the suction motor is positioned forward of the hand grip portion.

Claims

1. A hand vacuum cleaner having front end and a rear end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) an air inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis;

(b) a suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation;

(c) an air treatment member having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends; and

,

(d) a handle provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the handle having a hand grip portion that extends upwardly and forwardly,

wherein the suction motor is positioned forward of the handle and the hand grip portion.

3. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the inlet conduit axis is above the hand grip portion when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

4. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein a lower end of the handle is positioned at an elevation of a pre-motor filter and an upper portion of the handle is positioned at an elevation of the suction motor.

5. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 4 wherein the lower end of the handle is attached to a pre-motor filter housing and the upper portion of the handle is attached to a suction motor housing.

6. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the air treatment member is forward of the handle.

7. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a pre-motor filter wherein the air treatment member and the pre-motor filter are forward of the hand grip.

8. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone and the central longitudinal axis is a cyclone axis.

9. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the inlet conduit has an inlet conduit axis that axis is generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis.

10. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 9 wherein when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly, the inlet conduit axis is positioned above the central longitudinal axis and a projection of the inlet conduit axis intersects the suction motor.

11. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the central longitudinal axis is positioned below the suction motor axis when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

12. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the central longitudinal axis is positioned below the suction motor when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

13. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the inlet conduit axis is above the air treatment member when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

14. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor is positioned above at least a portion of the air treatment member when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

15. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation is generally parallel to the inlet conduit axis.

16. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation is generally parallel to the inlet conduit axis.

17. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor axis of rotation is generally orthogonal to the inlet conduit axis.

18. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 17 further comprising a pre-motor filter wherein the suction motor is positioned above the pre-motor filter when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

19. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the suction motor is rearward of the air treatment member.

20. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a front end, a rear end and a pre-motor filter wherein the suction motor is positioned forward of the pre-motor filter.

21. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising an energy storage member wherein the energy storage member is positioned below the suction motor when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

22. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising an energy storage member wherein the energy storage member is positioned rearward of the suction motor when hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

23. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the handle houses at least one energy storage member and wherein the handle is removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

24. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the handle houses at least one energy storage member in a lower portion thereof.

25. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the handle houses at least one energy storage member and the suction motor is positioned forward of a battery storage compartment.

2. (canceled)

26. A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end and a rear end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) an air inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis;

(b) a suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation;

(c) an air treatment member having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends; and

,

(d) a handle provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the handle having a hand grip portion that extends upwardly and forwardly and the inlet conduit axis is above the hand grip portion when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly,

wherein the suction motor is positioned forward of the hand grip portion.