Cord retainer for vacuum cleaner

• US 6,510,583 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Great Star Tools USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shop-Vac Corporation (Hangzhou Great Star Industrial Company Limited)
• Inventors: Fry, Kevin, Griffin, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider; Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US09/822,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 15/323,353 242/400.1,405.1,405.2
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/26 Incorporation of winding devices for electric cables devices specially adapted for repeatedly paying-out or re-storing cables B65H75/34; arrangements of electrical cables or lines between relatively-movable parts H02G11/00

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner has a cord retainer for holding looped cord in a horizontal position against the housing of the vacuum cleaner. The cord retainer includes two cord locks that are pivotally mounted to the vacuum cleaner housing. The cord locks are limited in their pivotal movement from a horizontal or near horizontal position to a vertical or near vertical position. The cord locks are mounted onto shafts which, in turn, are either integrally molded with the vacuum cleaner housing or connected to the vacuum cleaner housing in a suitable fashion.

Claims

1. A cord retainer for a vacuum cleaner comprising:

a right shaft and a left shaft, the right and left shafts disposed substantially horizontally, the right and left shafts each comprising a first stop and a second stop,

the right shaft being pivotally connected to a right cord lock, the left shaft being connected to a left cord lock,

the right and left cord locks each comprising a base for receiving one of the right and left shafts respectively and a leg portion that extends substantially perpendicularly outward from its respective base,

the right cord lock comprising a first stop for engaging the first stop of the right shaft, the right cord lock also comprising a second stop for engaging the second stop of the right shaft, the right cord lock being pivotable along an arc limited by engagement of the first stops of the right shaft and right cord lock and by engagement of the second stops of the right shaft and right cord lock,

the left cord lock comprising a first stop for engaging the first stop of the left shaft, the left cord lock also comprising a second stop for engaging the second stop of the left shaft, the left cord lock being pivotable along an arc limited by engagement of the first stops of the left shaft and left cord lock and by engagement of the second stops of the left shaft and left cord lock the right shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the right cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the right shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the right cord lock, and

the left shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the left cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the left shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the left cord lock.

2. The cord retainer of claim 1 wherein the right and left shafts are disposed along a horizontal plane.

3. The cord retainer of claim 2 wherein the right and left shafts are fast with a housing.

4. The cord retainer of claim 1 wherein the arc through which the right cord lock can pivot ranges from about 80°

to about 135°

, and

the arc through which the left cord lock can pivot ranges from about 80°

to about 135°

.

5. The cord retainer of claim 1 wherein the arcs through which the right cord lock and left cord lock can pivot are about 90°

.

6. The cord retainer of claim 1 wherein the first stop of the right shaft engages the first stop of the right cord lock when the right cord lock is in a first position,

the second stop of the right shaft engages the second stop of the right cord lock when the right cord lock is in a second position,

the first stop of the left shaft engages the first stop of the left cord lock when the left cord lock is in a first position,

the second stop of the left shaft engages the second stop of the left cord lock when the left cord lock is in a second position,

the leg portions of the right and left cord locks being substantially coplanar and oppositely directed when the right and left cord locks are in their respective first positions,

the leg portions of the right and left cord locks being substantially parallel and upwardly directed when the right and left cord locks are in their respective second positions.

7. The cord retainer of claim 1 wherein the first and second stops of the right cord lock are disposed along an arc of about 90°

and the first and second stops of the right shaft are disposed along an arc of about 180°

, and

wherein the first and second stops of the left cord lock are disposed along an arc of about 90° and

the first and second stops of the left shaft are disposed along an arc of about 180°

.

8. The cord retainer of claim 7 wherein the first and second stops of the right cord lock are connected by an arcuate wall, and

wherein the first and second stops of the left cord lock are connected by an arcuate wall.

9. The cord retainer of claim 1 wherein the right cord lock is interchangeable with the left cord lock.

10. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing, the housing being connected to a right shaft and a left shaft, the right and left shafts extending outward from the housing, the right and left shafts each comprising a first stop and a second stop,

the right shaft being pivotally connected to a right cord lock, the left shaft being connected to a left cord lock,

the right and left cord locks each comprising a hollow base for receiving one of the right and left shafts respectively and a leg portion that extends substantially perpendicularly outward from its respective base,

the hollow base of the right cord lock comprising a first stop for engaging the first stop of the right shaft, the hollow base of the right cord lock comprising a second stop for engaging the second stop of the right shaft,

the hollow base of the left cord lock comprising a first stop for engaging the first stop of the left shaft, the hollow base of the left cord lock comprising a second stop for engaging the second stop of the left shaft,

the first stop of the right shaft engaging the first stop of the right cord lock when the right cord lock is in a first position,

the second stop of the right shaft engaging the second stop of the right cord lock when the right cord lock is in a second position,

the first stop of the left shaft engaging the first stop of the left cord lock when the left cord lock is in a first position,

the second stop of the left shaft engaging the second stop of the left cord lock when the left cord lock is in a second position,

the legs of the right and left cord locks being substantially coplanar and substantially oppositely directed when the right and left cord locks are in their respective first positions,

the legs of the right and left cord locks being substantially parallel and upwardly directed when the right and left cord locks are in their respective second positions the right shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the hollow base of the right cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the right shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the right cord lock, and

the left shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the hollow base of the left cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the left shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the left cord lock.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the right and left shafts are connected to the housing along a horizontal plane when the vacuum cleaner is in an upright position.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein engagement between the first stops of the right shaft and the right cord lock and engagement between the second stops of the right shaft and the right cord lock limits pivotal movement of the right cord lock to an arc ranging from about 80°

to about 135°

, and

wherein engagement between the first stops of the left shaft and the left cord lock and engagement between the second stops of the left shaft and the left cord lock limits pivotal movement of the left cord lock to an arc ranging from about 80°

to about 135°

.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein engagement between the first stops of the right shaft and the right cord lock and engagement between the second stops of the right shaft and the right cord lock limits pivotal movement of the right cord lock to an arc of about 90°

, and

wherein engagement between the first stops of the left shaft and the left cord lock and engagement between the second stops of the left shaft and the left cord lock limits pivotal movement of the left cord lock to an arc of about 90°

.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the first and second stops of the right cord lock are disposed along an arc of about 90°

and the first and second stops of the right shaft are disposed along an arc of about 180°

, and

wherein the first and second stops of the left cord lock are disposed along an arc of about 90° and

the first and second stops of the left shaft are disposed along an arc of about 180°

.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the first and second stops of the right cord lock are connected by an arcuate wall, and

wherein the first and second stops of the left cord lock are connected by an arcuate wall.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the right cord lock is interchangeable with the left cord lock.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the right and left shafts are fast with the housing.

18. A cord retainer for a vacuum cleaner comprising:

a right shaft and a left shaft, the right and left shafts disposed substantially horizontally, the right and left shafts each comprising a first stop and a second stop,

the right shaft being pivotally connected to a right cord lock, the left shaft being connected to a left cord lock,

the right and left cord locks each comprising a hollow base for receiving one of the right and left shafts respectively and a leg portion that extends substantially perpendicularly outward from its respective base,

the right shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the hollow base of the right cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the right shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the right cord lock, and

the left shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the hollow base of the left cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the left shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the left cord lock,

the right and left cord locks being interchangeable.

19. The cord retainer of claim 18 wherein the right cord lock further comprises a first stop for engaging the first stop of the right shaft, the right cord lock also comprising a second stop for engaging the second stop of the right shaft, the right cord lock being pivotal along an arc of less than 120°

that is defined by engagement of the first stops of the right shaft and right cord lock and by engagement of the second stops of the right shaft and cord lock,

the left cord lock further comprises a first stop for engaging the first stop of the left shaft, the left cord lock also comprising a second stop for engaging the second stop of the left shaft, the left cord lock being pivotal along an arc of less than 120°

that is defined by engagement of the first stops of the left shaft and left cord lock and by engagement of the second stops of the left shaft and cord lock.

20. A tank-type vacuum cleaner having a tank and an upper housing closing the tank and from which a power cord extends, the vacuum cleaner including a cord retainer, the cord retainer comprising:

a right cord lock and a left cord lock mounted on the upper housing from which the cord extends and wherein the right and left cord locks move from a first position in which the cord is retained to a second position in which the cord is released,

the right and left locks being pivotally mounted on right and left shifts respectively, the right shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the hollow base of the right cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the right shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the right cord lock, and

the left shaft comprising an outwardly directed male protuberance and the hollow base of the left cord lock comprising a top wall having a female opening, the male protuberance of the left shaft being snap fitted into the female opening of the left cord lock.