SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

• US 20190038094A1
• Filed: 10/10/2018
• Published: 02/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 10,478,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 5/24 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 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• 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 9/1683 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 9/322 for hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand vacuum cleaner, a surface cleaning head and a rigid air flow conduit. The hand vacuum cleaner has a main body housing a suction motor and fan assembly. The hand vacuum cleaner also has an air inlet centrally positioned on a front end of an air treatment member, the air inlet is releasably connectable with the air outlet of the rigid wand. The hand vacuum cleaner also has a hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector provided on the front end of the air treatment member adjacent the hand vacuum cleaner air inlet, the hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector is releasably connectable with the outlet end electrical connector.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a front end, a rear end, a dirt air inlet and a cleaning head air outlet;

(b) a rigid air flow conduit having a rigid wand inlet end having an air inlet in communicable with the cleaning head air outlet, a rigid wand outlet end and a longitudinally extending conduit axis, the rigid air flow conduit is moveably mountable to the surface cleaning head between an upright position and an in-use floor cleaning position in which the rigid air flow conduit extends at an angle to the vertical, the rigid wand outlet end having an air outlet and an outlet end electrical connector; and

,

(c) a hand vacuum cleaner removably mountable to the rigid wand outlet end, the hand vacuum cleaner having a front end and a rear end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising;

(i) a main body comprising a handle and a suction motor and fan assembly, the suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation, the handle having a hand grip portion;

(ii) an air treatment member provided at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the air treatment member having a central longitudinal axis;

(iii) a hand vacuum cleaner air inlet centrally positioned on a front end of the air treatment member and releasably connectable with the air outlet of the rigid wand; and

,

(iv) a hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector provided on the front end of the air treatment member adjacent the hand vacuum cleaner air inlet, the hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector is releasably connectable with the outlet end electrical connector,

wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is mounted to the rigid wand outlet end, the longitudinally extending conduit axis extends in a same direction as the central longitudinal axis of rotation.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hand grip portion extends linearly outwardly from a sidewall of the main body.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the hand grip portion has a hand grip portion axis that intersects the suction motor

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rigid air flow conduit is removably mounted to the surface cleaning head.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the central longitudinal axis intersects that hand grip portion.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor and the handle are positioned rearward of the air treatment member.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the central longitudinal axis extends through the hand vacuum cleaner air inlet.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is mounted to the rigid wand outlet end, the longitudinally extending conduit axis extends in the same direction as the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air treatment member has a front face and the hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector is positioned forward of the front face.

10. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a front end, a rear end, a dirt air inlet and a cleaning head air outlet;

(b) a rigid air flow conduit having a rigid wand inlet end having an air inlet in communicable with the cleaning head air outlet, a rigid wand outlet end and a longitudinally extending conduit axis, the rigid air flow conduit is moveably mountable to the surface cleaning head between an upright position and an in-use floor cleaning position in which the rigid air flow conduit extends at an angle to the vertical, the rigid wand outlet end having an air outlet and an outlet end electrical connector; and

,

(c) a hand vacuum cleaner removably mountable to the rigid wand outlet end, the hand vacuum cleaner having a front end and a rear end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising;

(i) a main body comprising a handle and a suction motor and fan assembly, the suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation, the handle having a hand grip portion;

(ii) an air treatment member provided at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the air treatment member having a central longitudinal axis;

(iii) a hand vacuum cleaner air inlet provided on the front end of the air treatment member and releasably connectable with the air outlet of the rigid wand; and

,

(iv) a hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector provided on the front end of the air treatment member adjacent the hand vacuum cleaner air inlet, the hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector is releasably connectable with the outlet end electrical connector,

wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is mounted to the rigid wand outlet end, the longitudinally extending conduit axis extends in a same direction as the central longitudinal axis of the air treatment member.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the hand grip portion extends linearly outwardly from a sidewall of the main body.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the hand grip portion has a hand grip portion axis that intersects the suction motor

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the central longitudinal axis intersects that hand grip portion.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the suction motor and the handle are positioned rearward of the air treatment member.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the air treatment member has a front face and the hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector is positioned forward of the front face.

16. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a front end, a rear end, a dirt air inlet and a cleaning head air outlet;

(b) a rigid air flow conduit having a rigid wand inlet end having an air inlet in communicable with the cleaning head air outlet, a rigid wand outlet end and a longitudinally extending conduit axis, the rigid air flow conduit is moveably mountable to the surface cleaning head between an upper position and an in-use floor cleaning position in which the rigid air flow conduit extends at an angle to the vertical, the rigid wand outlet end having an air outlet; and

,

(c) a hand vacuum cleaner removably mountable to the rigid wand outlet end, the hand vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end and a hand vacuum cleaner air inlet, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising;

(i) a main body comprising a handle and a suction motor and fan assembly, the suction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotation, the handle having a hand grip portion;

(ii) a first cyclonic stage provided at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the first cyclonic stage having a cyclone axis of rotation and a front face having the hand vacuum cleaner air inlet;

(iii) a second cyclonic stage having a second stage air outlet, the second stage air outlet is rearward of the first cyclonic stage;

(iv) a suction motor having a suction motor axis of rotation, the suction motor is positioned rearward of the first cyclonic stage,

wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is mounted to the rigid wand outlet end, the longitudinally extending conduit axis extends in a same direction as the cyclone axis of rotation.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein the handle is attached to a sidewall of the main body.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein handle is attached to the main body at two locations.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein the suction motor and the handle are positioned rearward of the first cyclonic stage.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein the rigid wand outlet end has an outlet end electrical connector, and the first cyclonic stage has a hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector provided at the front face and the hand vacuum cleaner electrical connector is releaseably engageable with the outlet end electrical connector.

21. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is mounted to the rigid wand outlet end, the longitudinally extending conduit axis extends in a same direction as the suction motor axis of rotation.