Upright vacuum cleaner

• US 8,567,006 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Muller, Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US13/396,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20120204378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 153/53, 153/31, 153/34
• US Class Current: 15/334
• 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 5/28 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 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets

Abstract

Several embodiments of an upright surface cleaning apparatus are disclosed. The surface cleaning apparatus has a first cyclonic cleaning stage and comprises a surface cleaning head having a dirty fluid inlet. A fluid flow path extends from the dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet of the upright surface cleaning apparatus. A support member is mounted to the surface cleaning head. A mounting member mounted to the support member. At least one of a first cleaning stage of the upright surface cleaning apparatus and a suction motor is mounted directly or indirectly to the mounting member. A suction motor is provided in the fluid flow path.

Claims

1. An upright surface cleaning apparatus having a cyclonic cleaning stage and comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty fluid inlet;

(b) a fluid flow path extending from the dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet of the upright surface cleaning apparatus;

(c) an upright section comprising a support member, the upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head;

(d) a cleaning and suction unit removable and useable as a portable surface cleaning apparatus, the cleaning and suction unit comprising a suction motor, an above floor cleaning wand comprising a rigid conduit having an air inlet and a flexible hose having an air outlet and at least one cyclone having a cyclone inlet and a cyclone chamber;

(e) an airflow conduit extending from the air inlet of the rigid conduit to the cyclone inlet and comprising the flexible hose;

(f) a mounting assembly removably mounting the cleaning and suction unit to the upright section of the upright surface cleaning apparatus, the mounting assembly having an upper section for removably receiving an end of the above floor cleaning wand and a lower section for removably receiving an end of the support member; and

,

(g) at least two operating components of the upright surface cleaning apparatus including the cyclonic cleaning stage mounted directly or indirectly to the mounting assembly, wherein the air inlet of the above the floor cleaning wand is removably received in the upper section and the above floor cleaning wand further comprises a handle, whereby the handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head when the cleaning and suction unit is mounted to the upright section.

2. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member comprises an airflow duct forming part of the fluid flow path.

3. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the airflow duct is an up flow duct and the mounting assembly has an airflow passage therethrough in air flow communication with the cyclonic cleaning stage.

4. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rigid conduit and the support member are substantially axially aligned when the cleaning and suction unit is mounted to the upright section.

5. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member comprises an air flow duct forming part of the fluid flow path.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mounting assembly further comprises an air flow valve positioned generally linearly aligned with a position at which air exits the cyclone inlet and enters the cyclone chamber.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning and suction unit has an air inlet in a side wall thereof.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the opening of the upper section has a longitudinal axis and the mounting assembly further comprises an air inlet that communicates with the air outlet of the above floor cleaning wand and that has a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the opening of the upper section.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible hose is connected to an air inlet of the mounting assembly.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member of the upright section is a tubular support member.

11. An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having an airflow path from a first dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet;

(b) an above floor cleaning wand having a second dirty fluid inlet at one end thereof and a handle for the upright surface cleaning apparatus distal thereto;

(c) an upright section pivotally mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and an in use position and comprising a removable cleaning and suction unit useable as a portable surface cleaning apparatus, the cleaning and suction unit comprising a mounting assembly, a suction motor positioned in the airflow path, a cyclonic cleaning stage and the above floor cleaning wand, the cyclonic cleaning stage alternately treating air drawn in through the first dirty fluid inlet and the second dirty fluid inlet, the second dirty fluid inlet is removably received in an upper section of mounting assembly;

(d) the cyclonic cleaning stage having a longitudinally extending outer surface, a cyclone chamber and a cyclone inlet; and

,

(e) the wand with the handle drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head when the cleaning and suction unit is mounted to the upright section.

12. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 the above floor cleaning wand extending along a first longitudinal axis when the second dirty fluid inlet is connected to the mounting assembly, the mounting assembly comprising an air inlet that communicates with the air outlet of the above floor cleaning wand and that has a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

13. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a tubular support member and the cleaning and suction unit is removably connectable to the tubular support member.

14. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13 wherein the tubular support member comprises an upflow duct.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the mounting assembly further comprises an air flow valve.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the second dirty fluid inlet and the upflow duct are axially aligned when the suction and cleaning unit is configured for use as an upright surface cleaning apparatus.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the above floor cleaning wand includes a flexible hose and the flexible hose is connected to the air inlet of the mounting assembly.

18. An upright surface cleaning apparatus operable in an upright configuration and a portable configuration, the upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a first dirty fluid inlet;

(b) an above floor cleaning wand having a second dirty fluid inlet at one end thereof and a handle for the upright surface cleaning apparatus distal thereto;

(c) a tubular support member moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head;

(d) upright section comprising a cleaning and suction unit removable and useable when removed from the support member, the cleaning and suction unit comprising the above floor cleaning wand, a mounting assembly positioned on a side of the cleaning and suction unit and removably mountable to the support member, a suction motor and a cyclonic cleaning stage, the cyclonic cleaning stage alternately treating air drawn in through the first dirty fluid inlet and the second dirty fluid inlet; and

,

(e) a fluid flow path from the first dirty fluid inlet to the cyclonic cleaning stage and including a transverse passage, which extends generally transverse to the support member, and connects with a side wall inlet of the cleaning and suction unit,

wherein, when the upright surface cleaning apparatus is the upright configuration, the surface cleaning head, the support member and the upright section define an assembly

and wherein the above floor cleaning wand includes a rigid conduit and a flexible hose having an air inlet end and an air outlet end, and the air outlet end remains connected to the suction and cleaning unit when the suction and cleaning unit is removed from the support member and the inlet end remains connected to the rigid conduit when the suction and cleaning unit is removed from the support member,

and wherein the air outlet end is located at the transverse passage of the fluid flow path.

19. The upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the support member has an air flow passage therein and forms part of the fluid flow path from the first dirty fluid inlet to the cyclonic cleaning stage.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the support member is connected to a lower portion of the mounting assembly and the above floor cleaning wand is connected to an upper section of the mounting assembly.

21. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the above floor cleaning wand extends along a first longitudinal axis when connected to the mounting assembly and the mounting assembly further comprises an air inlet that communicates with the air outlet of the above floor cleaning wand and that has a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

22. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the flexible hose is connected to the air inlet of the mounting assembly.

23. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the air inlet of the above floor cleaning wand is removably connectable to an upper section of the mounting assembly and the above floor cleaning wand further comprises a handle, whereby the handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head when the cleaning and suction unit is mounted to the upright section.

24. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the support member is the upright section.

25. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a floor cleaning unit comprising a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet, a cleaning head air outlet and an upright section drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head;

(b) a cleaning and suction unit having an air inlet, an air outlet and a suction motor;

(c) an air flow path extending through the surface cleaning apparatus from the dirty air inlet to the air outlet;

(d) a mounting member provided on a side of the cleaning and suction unit and having an air flow passage therein and removable with the cleaning and suction unit;

(e) a thin support member moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head comprising an upflow duct fluidly connected with the dirty air inlet and the cleaning and suction unit is removably mounted to the support member;

(f) an above floor cleaning wand removably connected to the mounting member and comprising a handle, a rigid wand and a flexible hose; and

,

wherein the surface cleaning apparatus has at least two operating modes comprising;

(i) a first upright operating mode wherein the surface cleaning apparatus is operable with the cleaning and suction unit forming part of the air flow path, wherein the handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head when the above floor cleaning wand is connected to the mounting member; and

,

(ii) a second operating mode wherein the cleaning and suction unit is operable when removed from the surface cleaning head.

26. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 25, wherein the mounting member is mounted on an upper end of the support member.

27. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 25 wherein the support member is connected to a lower portion of the mounting member and the above floor cleaning wand is connected to an upper section of the mounting member.

28. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 25 wherein the above floor cleaning wand extends along a first longitudinal axis when connected to the mounting member and the mounting member further comprises an air inlet that communicates with the air outlet of the above floor cleaning wand and that has a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

29. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 25 wherein the flexible hose is connected to the mounting member.

30. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 25 wherein an air inlet of the above floor cleaning wand is removably connectable to an upper section of the mounting member, whereby a handle is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head when the cleaning and suction unit is mounted to the support member.