Vacuum cleaner switch
First Claim
1. A control switch for an electrical appliance having a removable accessory, said switch comprising:
- a) an electrical switch assembly defining a switch input and a switch output and an interruptable electric current path between said switch input and said switch output, said switch output being electrically coupled to an electrically actuatable component of said appliance;
b) said switch input being adapted for connection to an external source of electric power;
c) said switch assembly further comprising;
i) a first contact assembly including a first contact movable between an enabled position and a disabled position;
ii) an ON/OFF contact assembly including an ON/OFF contact movable between an ON position and an OFF position, said contacts being relatively positioned such that they make contact only when said first contact is in its said enabled position and said ON/OFF contact is in said ON position;
iii) said contact assemblies comprising conductive means coupling said first and said ON/OFF contacts to interrupt said current path between said switch input and said switch output when said contacts are not in contact with one another, and for completing said interruptable current path when said contacts are in contact with one another;
iv) an ON/OFF switch and associated first linkage for moving said ON/OFF contact between said ON and said OFF positions;
v) structure for biasing said first contact toward said disabled position; and
,vi) second linkage responsive to engagement of said removable accessory with said appliance for moving said first contact to said enabled position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control switch is disclosed for a two-speed vacuum cleaner motor and the like. The switch provides three sensors which operate in response to the mounting of three different types of accessories on a vacuum cleaner. One sensor causes low motor speed operation when an accessory is mounted requiring low speed operation. Another sensor operates to provide high speed motor operation when a high speed accessory is mounted. The third sensor prevents motor operation when an accessory is not mounted on the outlet of the vacuum cleaner. The control switch provides a high speed/low speed switch and a power switch. The power switch is automatically moved to its open or OFF position in response to the mounting of an accessory. Consequently, the high speed/low speed switch cannot oeprate ot start the motor, and is therefore provided with low cost contacts. The control switch and motor provide plug-type connectors which automatically connect the internal motor wiring when the switch is installed.
14 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A control switch for an electrical appliance having a removable accessory, said switch comprising:
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a) an electrical switch assembly defining a switch input and a switch output and an interruptable electric current path between said switch input and said switch output, said switch output being electrically coupled to an electrically actuatable component of said appliance; b) said switch input being adapted for connection to an external source of electric power; c) said switch assembly further comprising; i) a first contact assembly including a first contact movable between an enabled position and a disabled position; ii) an ON/OFF contact assembly including an ON/OFF contact movable between an ON position and an OFF position, said contacts being relatively positioned such that they make contact only when said first contact is in its said enabled position and said ON/OFF contact is in said ON position; iii) said contact assemblies comprising conductive means coupling said first and said ON/OFF contacts to interrupt said current path between said switch input and said switch output when said contacts are not in contact with one another, and for completing said interruptable current path when said contacts are in contact with one another; iv) an ON/OFF switch and associated first linkage for moving said ON/OFF contact between said ON and said OFF positions; v) structure for biasing said first contact toward said disabled position; and
,vi) second linkage responsive to engagement of said removable accessory with said appliance for moving said first contact to said enabled position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A control switch for an electric motor driven appliance having a body and a removable accessory adapted for engagement with said appliance, said switch comprising:
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a) an electrical switch assembly defining a switch input and a switch output and an interruptable electric current path between said switch input and said switch output, said switch output being electrically coupled to said motor; b) said switch input being adapted for coupling to an external electric power source; c) said switch assembly comprising; i) switch apparatus and circuitry defining OFF and ON configurations for selectively interrupting and completing said current path when said switch is in said OFF configuration and said ON configuration, respectively; and
,ii) linkage responsive to the act of engaging said accessory with said appliance for changing the configuration of said power switch from ON to OFF.
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5. A control switch for an appliance having an electric motor for operating the appliance, the motor being capable of high speed operation and low speed operation, a first removable accessory requiring low speed operation and a second removable accessory requiring high speed operation, said switch comprising:
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a) an electrical switch assembly defining a switch input and a switch output and an interruptable electric current path between said switch input and said switch output, said switch output being coupled to said motor; b) said switch input being adapted for connection to an external source of electric power; c) said switch assembly further comprising; i) speed select apparatus and circuitry coupled between said electric motor and the region of said appliance body, said speed select apparatus and circuitry being responsive to engagement of said accessory with said appliance to operate said motor in one of said speed modes, and being responsive to engagement of said second accessory to cause said motor to operate at the other of said speed modes; ii) apparatus and circuitry for interrupting said current path in response to the absence of engagement of an accessory with said appliance. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification