CN1947638B - vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprising a floor-engaging unit having a suction inlet, an upright body mounted to said floor-engaging unit and including means for creating a suction and means for separating and collecting dirt from an airstream drawn in by said suction, a unit having a handle and a tubular portion extending from said handle, said tubular portion forming a suction inlet and being coupled to said body via a flexible hose, and said tubular portion being attachable to said body with said handle projecting for the user to grasp for manoeuvring the cleaner over the floor, wherein said tubular portion comprises first and second tubes which are telescopically coupled together to enable said tubular portion to be extended when detached from said body.

Description

vacuum cleaner

technical field

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a vacuum cleaner with a retractable suction pipe.

Background technique

Our European Patent Application No. 1,464,267 discloses an upright vacuum cleaner comprising an upright body whose lower end is pivotally mounted on floor engaging means which allow the body to extend laterally around the cleaner The shaft of the floor engaging device has limited forward and rearward rotation. The body houses an electric fan unit for generating suction through the inlet of the floor engaging unit to draw in air and draws the air into a dust separating unit mounted on the body of the vacuum cleaner. A motorized rotating agitator brush is mounted across the floor engaging device at its air inlet to beat and sweep the floor in the area where the airflow enters the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner also comprises a combined handle and suction pipe arrangement of elongated form, which has an end serving as a handle or grip and a tubular portion extending from the handle to form a suction pipe: the free end of the tubular portion forms the second suction of the vacuum cleaner The side of the tubular portion forms an air outlet, and a flexible hose is connected between this air outlet and the upright body of the vacuum cleaner near where the outlet connects to the handle.

In order to clean the floor with this vacuum cleaner, the combined handle and the tubular part of the suction pipe unit is inserted into the socket formed on the upright body of the vacuum cleaner, the handle part of the unit protrudes to form a handle for maneuvering the vacuum cleaner on the floor: handle and the free end of the tubular portion of the suction pipe means abuts a resiliently biased drive member of a diverter valve to depress this drive member and hold the valve in a position to provide suction to the floor engaging means generated by the fan means of the vacuum cleaner. suction position. When the combined handle and suction pipe device is withdrawn from its socket, the valve drive element is free to move under its elastic bias, and thus moves the valve to a position where suction is provided to the suction pipe through the flexible hose, Instead of supplying suction to the air inlet of the floor engaging device of the vacuum cleaner: the user can now use the suction tube for the floor sweeping work described above. The tubular portion forming the suction tube is shaped to form a so-called crevice tool, the cross-section of which varies from circular to roughly rectangular as the suction tube tapers towards its free end.

Although the combined handle and suction tube assembly can be used for many of the floor cleaning tasks described above as soon as it is withdrawn from the cleaner body, accessory fittings such as telescoping tubes are also necessary for other tasks. It is known to store these accessories on the cleaner body, typically by keeping them in a fixed receptacle or by using a fixed clip. For cleaning some relatively hard-to-reach positions, for example, before cleaning starts, the user must remove the extension pipe from the container on the vacuum cleaner body and install the extension pipe on the suction pipe. After sweeping operations, the extension pipe must be removed from the suction pipe and returned to its storage position on the cleaner body.

Contents of the invention

We have now designed several configurations that further simplify the use of the above types of vacuum cleaners. The terms tube and tubular are used throughout to define elongate hollow elements. The elongated hollow element may have a substantially constant cross-section, eg substantially circular, oval, square or also a varying cross-section.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner comprising: a floor engaging device having a suction opening; an upright body mounted on the floor engaging device and comprising means for generating suction and said means for separating and collecting dust from the airflow absorbed by said suction; means having a handle and a tubular portion extending from said handle, said tubular portion forming a suction inlet and connected to said body by a flexible hose, and said a tubular portion connectable to the body with the handle protruding for gripping by a user to maneuver the cleaner on the floor, wherein the tubular portion includes first and second tubes that are retractable connected together so that the tubular portion can be extended when detached from the body.

Preferably the first tube is attached to or extends from the handle.

Preferably, the second tube is formed as a suction tube or as a tool, for example a so-called crevice tool.

Preferably the second tube forms an outer tube which is positioned above the first or inner tube.

Preferably the combined handle and suction port or suction tube arrangement includes means for locking or locking the first and second tubes against relative longitudinal displacement when the tubes are in one or more predetermined positions relative to each other, in a preferred embodiment , the tubes lock together only when fully extended or fully retracted, not in any intermediate position.

In a preferred embodiment, a locking mechanism is provided comprising a sleeve mounted on the second or outer tube and configured for limited longitudinal displacement of the tube: the locking mechanism is configured such that the sleeve Once moved forward, the lock between the two tubes is disengaged, allowing the tubes to be extended by continued movement of the sleeve in the forward direction.

Preferably the locking mechanism comprises a resiliently biased portion having a protrusion at one end which engages a recess formed on the outer surface of the first or inner tube when the tube is in the collapsed condition, the locking mechanism also An element connected to the sleeve is included for acting on the resiliently biased portion to displace the protrusion of the resiliently biased portion from the recess of the first tube when the sleeve is displaced in the forward direction.

Preferably the resiliently biased portion comprises a leaf spring. Optionally, the resiliently biased portion is biased by a spring, more preferably a compression spring.

Preferably the locking mechanism is also configured to disengage the lock between the two tubes upon rearward movement of the sleeve when the tubes are in the extended condition, whereby the tubes are compressed by continued movement of the sleeve in the rearward direction.

Preferably the locking mechanism comprises a second resilient biasing portion having a protrusion at one end which engages a recess formed on the outer surface of the inner tube when the tube is in the extended state, to engage the sleeve The element is configured to act on the second resilient biasing portion to move the protrusion of the second resilient biasing portion out of the recess of the first tube upon displacement of the sleeve in the rearward direction.

Preferably the second resilient biasing portion comprises a leaf spring. Optionally, the second resiliently biased portion is biased by a spring, more preferably a compression spring.

Preferably the element associated with the sleeve comprises a roller. Preferably the roller is connected to the sleeve by means of an element fitted in a window formed on the sleeve, the roller comprising at least one protrusion having a notch accommodating a shaft portion of the roller.

It will be appreciated that the locking mechanism described above may also be effectively used in other tubular configurations of the telescoping structure, particularly, but not exclusively, for the suction inlet of a vacuum cleaner. Thus, also according to the present invention, there is provided a tubular arrangement comprising inner and outer tubes which are relatively longitudinally slidable and means for locking said tubes in at least one relative longitudinal position, said locking means comprising a sleeve of sleeves configured for limited longitudinal movement along said outer tube, whereby displacement of said sleeve in a predetermined longitudinal direction serves to release the lock between the two tubes so that said The outer tube is moved in said direction relative to the inner tube by continuous movement of the sleeve in said direction.

In an alternative embodiment of the vacuum cleaner described above, the rear end of the second or outer tube is provided with an external thread to which an internally threaded sleeve engages: rotation of the sleeve causes the The compression ring compresses, clamping the two together.

Description of drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention, showing its combined handle and suction pipe arrangement held in a socket in the upright body of the cleaner, thereby enabling the cleaner to be used for floor sweeping;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 1, showing its combined handle and suction tube assembly being withdrawn from the socket of the vacuum cleaner so that the vacuum cleaner is used for floor cleaning as described above;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the combined handle and suction pipe device of the vacuum cleaner, showing its retracted state;

Figure 4 is a similar view of the combined handle and suction tube arrangement, showing its extended state;

Figure 5 is a view of the handle and the underside of the suction pipe device;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the carrier element and sleeve cover of the locking mechanism of the handle and suction pipe device;

Figures 7a and 7b show partial enlarged cross-sectional views of the locking mechanism in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the carrier element of an alternative embodiment of the locking mechanism;

Figure 9 is a view of the underside of the carrier element in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the handle and suction tube assembly with a modified mechanism for locking the telescoping tube in a desired position.

Detailed ways

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an upright vacuum cleaner comprising an upright body 10, the lower end of which is pivotally mounted on a floor engaging means 11 having a pair of wheels 11a at its rear: the pivot of the body 10 The shaft is mounted such that it can rotate partially forwards and rearwards relative to the floor engaging means 11 about a rotation shaft extending transversely of the cleaner. An electric fan unit (not shown) is housed in the body 10 for generating suction in use. A first suction inlet 13 is provided on the lower side of the floor engaging device 11 adjacent to its front end, and an electric rotating stirring brush (not shown) is installed in the lateral direction of the vacuum cleaner in the suction inlet 13 . The vacuum cleaner also includes a cylindrical cyclone separation device 14 installed at the front of the body 10 and configured to separate impurities and dust from air sucked into the cleaner by suction and collect the separated impurities and dust.

The vacuum cleaner further comprises a combined handle and suction pipe unit 12, which is of elongated form, as shown in FIG. Form the handle of the vacuum cleaner. When the device 12 is received in the socket 16 , it is held in place by a catch 17 located on the cleaner body 10 adjacent the top of the socket 16 and engages barbs 18 on the sides of the device 12 . The handle 19 is shaped to provide a grip for the user to hold for maneuvering the cleaner during floor sweeping. The device 12 further comprises a tubular portion 22 protruding from the handle 19 forming an air flow passage between a second suction inlet 24 of the vacuum cleaner at the free end of the tubular portion 22 and an air outlet 25 forming the air outlet. In the side of the tubular portion 22 , adjacent to its junction with the handle 19 . An elongated flexible hose 26 is connected at one end to the air outlet 25 of the device 12 and at the other end to the body 10 of the vacuum cleaner. As will be explained below, the tubular portion 22 of the device 12 is telescopic.

When the vacuum cleaner is used for conventional floor cleaning, the device 12 is in a retracted state and installed in the socket 16 of the body 10, as shown in FIG. 1 . The free end of the tubular portion 22 abuts a resiliently biased actuating element of a valve (not shown) to depress the actuating element and keep the valve in the first position for delivering suction from the fan unit to the underside of the floor engaging means 11 of the cleaner. A position of the suction port 13. For above-the-floor cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, the catch 17 is manually released to allow the user to withdraw the device 12 from its socket 16: this moves the drive element of the valve under its resilient bias, thereby moving the valve to the Suction from the fan unit is delivered via flexible hoses and air passages in the tubular portion 22 of the unit 12 to the location of the second suction inlet 24 . The tubular portion 22 of the device 12 forms a suction duct for above-floor sweeping, and is especially (in the example shown) shaped to provide a so-called crevice tool, although it could alternatively be formed as any alternative type of suction tool.

As noted above, the tubular portion 22 of the device 12 is of telescopic form. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the tubular portion 22 of the device 12 includes a first or inner tube 30 coupled at one end to the handle 19 and a second or outer tube 32 slidably received on the first or inner tube. The inner and outer tubes have uniform, generally circular cross-sections, but the front end of the outer tube 32 tapers to a generally rectangular cross-section, forming a so-called crevice tool. The outer tube 32 can slide along the inner tube 30, thereby changing the suction tube between the contracted state shown in FIG. 3 and the extended state shown in FIG. Protrusions formed on the inner surface of the outer tube to engage with the aforementioned longitudinal grooves prevent rotation of the outer tube 32 relative to the inner tube.

5 and 6 illustrate the mechanism for locking the outer tube 32 at both ends of its movement relative to the inner tube 30 . The mechanism comprises a generally rectangular frame-form bearing member 34 mounted in a recess adjacent the rear end of the outer tube 32 and extending longitudinally along the tube 32 . Roller elements 35 extend across the carrier element 34 with their enlarged ends running on tracks along opposite sides of the carrier element 34 . Two leaf springs 36 , 38 extend longitudinally of the bearing element 34 , one end of the first spring 36 is fixed to one end of the bearing element 34 , and one end of the second spring 38 is fixed to the opposite end of the bearing element 34 . Each spring 36 , 38 has an inwardly inclined portion 36 a , 38 a between its two ends and terminates in an end 36 b , 38 b carrying an inwardly directed pin 37 , 39 . Two springs 36 , 38 extend over the reduced diameter or shaft portion of the rolling element 35 . Around the outer tube 32 of the suction pipe, above the locking mechanism, a sleeve 40 is arranged: the sleeve 40 has a rectangular window 41 recording the position of the locking mechanism, and a cover element 42 snaps into this window. The cover element 42 is formed along its opposite edge with a flange 43 having a recess 44 which receives the shaft portion of the rolling element 35 . The sleeve 40 is slidable along the outer tube 32 of the suction pipe, it being understood that movement of the sleeve 40 in any axial direction will drive the rolling element 35 to move along the bearing element 34 .

When the suction tube is in its retracted state, as shown in Figure 7a, the pin 37 of the first spring 36 engages into a socket or recess formed on the outer surface of the inner tube 30, thereby locking relative longitudinal movement of the tubes 30,32. To unlock and extend the suction tube, the user holds the sleeve 40 and moves it forwards in the direction of the suction tube: this drives the rolling element 35 forward along the carrier element 34, the rolling element 35 thus Engages the ramped portion 36a of the first spring 36 to lift the spring, thereby withdrawing the pin 37 from the internal component socket in which it would otherwise engage. Stops (not shown) are provided to limit the movement of the sleeve 40 relative to the outer tube 32 of the suction tube. When the sleeve 40 reaches the position of this stop, continued forward movement of the sleeve will move the outer tube 32 forward into its extended position where the pin 39 on the second spring 38 will engage the outer tube 30. A socket or recess on the surface adjacent its front end engages to lock the suction tube in its extended position as shown in Figure 7b. In order to unlock and retract the suction tube, the user holds the sleeve 40 and moves it backwards away from the suction tube: this drives the rolling element 35 back along the carrier element 34, which thus engages the second spring The angled portion 38a of the pin 38 engages, thereby lifting the spring and withdrawing the pin 39 from the socket or recess of the inner tube 30 in which it originally engaged. When the sleeve 40 reaches the position of the stop that limits its movement relative to the outer tube 32, continued rearward movement of the sleeve 40 will cause the outer tube 32 to move rearwardly to its retracted position, where the first spring 36 The pin 37 will engage a socket or recess on the inner tube 30 adjacent the rear end.

Figures 8 and 9 show an alternative to the mechanism of Figure 6 for locking the outer tube at each end of its movement relative to the inner tube. The leaf springs 36 , 38 are replaced by two rigid rod elements 61 , 63 . One end of the first rigid rod member 61 is pivotally connected to the carrier member 34 and one end of the second rigid rod member is pivotally connected to the opposite end of the carrier member 34 . The rigid rod elements 61 , 63 are resiliently biased inwardly by compression springs 65 and 67 . Each rigid rod element 61 , 63 has an inwardly directed pin 69 , 71 . It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the locking mechanism in FIGS. 7 and 8 operates in a similar manner to that illustrated and described in FIG. 6 . Movement of the sleeve 40 drives the movement of the rolling element 35 along the carrier element 34, the rolling element 35 engaging the inclined portion of the first or second rigid rod element depending on whether the suction tube is initially in its retracted or extended position. Continued movement of the rolling member 35 pivots the rigid rod member 61 or 63, compresses the spring 65 or 67 against the upper portion 73 or 75 of the carrier member, and dislodges the pin 69 or 71 from the socket or socket of the inner tube 30 where it originally engaged. Pull out from the depression.

Figure 10 shows a modified arrangement for locking the two tubes 30, 32 of the suction tube and locking them longitudinally to each other in any desired position. In this configuration, a cylindrical element 50 with an external thread 51 is secured to or forms part of the rear end of the outer tube 32, and a compression ring 52 is provided in the annular space between the cylindrical element 50 and the inner tube 30, which The rear end of the shaped element 50. A sleeve 54 with an internal thread 55 engages on the cylindrical element 50 : the rear end of the sleeve 54 forms an inwardly directed annular flange 57 . The inner tube 30 is formed with a longitudinal groove 56 into which a protrusion on the inner surface of the outer tube 32 engages, thereby preventing the outer tube 32 from rotating about the inner tube as it slides along the inner tube. In order to lock the outer tube 32 in any desired position along the inner tube 30, the sleeve 54 is turned by hand to advance the sleeve along the cylindrical member 50, causing the compression ring 52 to pivot as its flange 57 grips the compression ring 52. compresses and radially expands, thereby clamping between the cylindrical element 50 and the inner tube 30 .

It will be appreciated that the arrangement which has been described provides a suction tube with improved versatility, which can be simply extended or retracted as required, and which has a simple construction.

The invention includes not only the individual embodiments described, but also combinations of these embodiments. It can be understood that those skilled in the art can understand that the present invention can have many modifications and changes, and all these modifications will be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (13)

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a floor engaging device having a suction opening; an upright body mounted on said floor engaging device and comprising means for generating suction and suction from said suction A device for separating and collecting dust in an air stream; a device having a handle and a tubular portion extending from the handle, the tubular portion forming a suction port and connected to the body by a flexible hose, while the handle protrudes for the user to grasp holding, thereby operating the vacuum cleaner above the floor, wherein the tubular portion includes first and second tubes that are telescopically connected together so that the tubular portion can be extended when detached from the body, the first tube Connected to or extending from the handle, the second tube forms an outer tube disposed on the first tube. 2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the second pipe is formed as a suction pipe or a suction tool. 3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tubular portion comprises relative longitudinal directions for locking or locking the first and second tubes when they are in one or more predetermined positions relative to each other. displacement device. 4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the two tubes are locked together only in the fully extended or fully retracted position, and not in any intermediate position. 5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, comprising a locking mechanism comprising a sleeve mounted on the second tube for limited longitudinal movement of the tube. 6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to disengage the lock between the two tubes upon forward movement of the sleeve when the tubes are in the retracted state, thereby allowing continuous movement of the tubes in the forward direction through the sleeve And was extended. 7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a resilient bias portion having a protrusion at one end which engages with a formed on the outer surface of the first tube when the tube is in the retracted state. The recess engages, and the locking mechanism further includes an element connected to the sleeve configured to act on the resiliently biased portion so as to displace the protrusion of the resiliently biased portion from the first when the sleeve moves in the forward direction. out of the hollow of the tube. 8. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism is further configured to disengage the lock between the two tubes once the sleeve is moved rearwardly when the tubes are in the extended position, thereby allowing the tubes to pass through the sleeve in a rearward direction It is contracted by continuous movement. 9. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a second resilient biasing portion having a protrusion at one end thereof, the second resilient biasing portion having a protrusion when the tube is in its extended state. The protrusion engages a recess formed on the outer surface of the first tube, and the element connected to the sleeve is configured to act on the second elastic biasing portion so that when the sleeve moves in a rearward direction, the second elastic The protrusion of the biasing portion moves out of the depression of the first tube. 10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the resiliently biased portion comprises a leaf spring. 11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the element coupled to the sleeve comprises a roller. 12. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 11, wherein the roller is connected to the sleeve by an element fitted in a window formed in the sleeve, said element fitted in a window formed in the sleeve comprising at least one protrusion, the The protrusion is formed with a notch that accommodates the shaft portion of the roller. 13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the rear end of the second pipe has an external thread, an internally threaded sleeve engages therewith, and rotation of the sleeve serves to compress a compression ring disposed between the second pipe and the first pipe, to clamp them together.

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