Vacuum apparatus

• US 8,001,653 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Everton W. Longley, Michelle Longley
• Original Assignee: Everton W. Longley, Michelle Longley
• Inventors: Longley, Michelle, Longley, Everton W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US12/478,453
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 153/67, 154/03, 15D/IG.1, 15D/IG.8
• US Class Current: 15/367
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0063 External storing devices; Stands, casings or the like for the storage of suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0686 Nozzles with cleaning cloths, e.g. using disposal fabrics for covering the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation

Abstract

A vacuum apparatus includes a housing that includes a vacuum assembly with a base. A rechargeable battery is mounted within the vacuum assembly and is electrically coupled to the blower of the vacuum assembly which creates suction through the base when the blower is turned on. A plurality of first mating charge contacts is mounted on the housing and are electrically coupled to the battery. The first mating charge contacts are engageable with second mating charge contacts mounted in an upper surface of a charging station. A power cord is electrically coupled to the second mating charge contacts to supply power to the second mating charge contacts. The battery is charged when the first and second mating charge contacts abut each other and the power cord is plugged into an electrical power source.

Claims

1. A vacuum assembly including:

a housing including a base having a top wall and a perimeter wall being attached to and extending downwardly from said top wall, a plurality of wheels being attached to said base and extending downwardly form said perimeter wall, an upper compartment being attached to and extending upwardly from said top wall, said housing containing a blower to create suction through a conduit extending through said base to suction material from a floor surface positioned beneath said base, a handle being attached to and extending upwardly from said housing, a trap being in fluid communication with said conduit to retain material suctioned into said conduit;

a rechargeable battery being mounted within said housing, said battery being electrically coupled to said blower;

a plurality of first mating charge contacts being mounted on said housing and being electrically coupled to said battery, said first mating charge contacts being positioned adjacent to a bottom edge of said perimeter wall;

a charging station including an upper surface having a plurality of second mating charge contacts positioned thereon, said second mating charge contacts each being positioned to engage one of said first mating charge contacts when said base is positioned on said upper surface;

a power cord being electrically coupled to said second mating charge contacts to supply power to said second mating charge contacts, said battery being charged when said first and second mating charge contacts abut each other and said power cord is plugged into an electrical power source;

a covering being removably positionable over said base adjacent to a front edge of said base; and

a polishing cloth being removably coupled to and covering a bottom side of said covering to allow said housing to be used to move said cloth across a floor surface and polish the floor with said polishing cloth.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said charging station has at least one wheel engaging member to engage at least one of the wheels of said housing to retain said housing on said charging station.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said covering includes:

a plate;

a pair of side walls being attached to and extending upwardly from said plate; and

a pair of flanges, each of said side walls having one of said flanges attached thereto, said flanges being releasably engageable with a ridge positioned on said perimeter wall to retain said plate adjacent to said bottom edge of said perimeter wall.

4. A vacuum assembly including:

a housing including a base having a top wall and a perimeter wall being attached to and extending downwardly from said top wall, a plurality of wheels being attached to said base and extending downwardly form said perimeter wall, a brush assembly being rotatably mounted to said base and a motor being mounted in said base and mechanically coupled to said brush assembly, said motor rotating said brush assembly when said motor is turned on, an upper compartment being attached to and extending upwardly from said top wall, said housing containing a blower to create suction through a conduit extending through said base to suction material from a floor surface positioned beneath said base, a handle being attached to and extending upwardly from said housing, a trap being in fluid communication with said conduit to retain material suctioned into said conduit, said conduit including a removable and flexible hose section;

a rechargeable battery being mounted within said housing, said battery being electrically coupled to said blower and to said motor;

a plurality of first mating charge contacts being mounted on said housing and being electrically coupled to said battery, said first mating charge contacts being positioned adjacent to a bottom edge of said perimeter wall;

a charging station including an upper surface having a plurality of second mating charge contacts positioned thereon, said second mating charge contacts each being positioned to engage one of said first mating charge contacts when said base is positioned on said upper surface, said upper surface having at least one wheel engaging member to engage at least one of the wheels of said housing to retain said housing on said charging station;

a power cord being electrically coupled to said second mating charge contacts to supply power to said second mating charge contacts, said battery being charged when said first and second mating charge contacts abut each other and said power cord is plugged into an electrical power source;

an actuator being electrically coupled to said battery, said actuator being moved to an on position to turn on said blower and said motor or to an off position to turn said blower and said motor off;

a covering being removably positionable over said base adjacent to a front edge of said base, said covering including;

a plate;

a pair of side walls being attached to and extending upwardly from said plate;

a pair of flanges, each of said side walls having one of said flanges attached thereto, said flanges being releasably engageable with a ridge positioned on said perimeter wall to retain said plate adjacent to said bottom edge of said perimeter wall; and

a polishing cloth being removably coupled to and covering a bottom side of said covering to allow said housing to be used to move said cloth across a floor surface and polish the floor with said polishing cloth.