Flexible hose with compact storage configuration and a cleaning apparatus using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10986970-B2
Application number	US-201816053260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2018
Priority date	Aug 2, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A flexible hose for use with surface cleaning devices is disclosed that includes a support structure that allows a user to collapse and lock the same into a storage configuration, and then easily unlock the same using a relatively minor amount of force, e.g., a user-applied pulling force or mechanical force. Thus, in a general sense, a hose consistent with the present disclosure may include two relatively stable/steady-state configurations, namely a storage configuration and an in-use configuration. Thus, the hose allows a user to collapse and lock the hose when not in use, and to transition the hose to an in-use configuration to target various types of surfaces to clean including, for instance, floors, walls and ceilings which may be many feet (e.g., up to 5 feet or more) from the surface cleaning apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hose for use with a surface cleaning apparatus, the hose comprising:
a support structure extending along a length of the hose, the support structure defining a first end to couple to a dirty air inlet of the surface cleaning apparatus and a second end for receiving dirty air, and wherein the support structure is at least partially surrounded by a layer of cover material to form a plurality of collapsible sections, each collapsible section defined by a flexible portion having an interior surface proximate a passageway of the hose for receiving dirty air and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, the passageway having a radius of R 1 ;
wherein the support structure is compressible to transition the hose into a storage configuration to shorten the overall length of the hose, and an in-use configuration to increase the overall length of the hose, and wherein each of the plurality of collapsible sections extend a distance D 1 into the passageway in the storage configuration, the distance D 1 being greater than half the radius R 1 of the passageway; and
wherein the support structure includes a plurality of retainers for releasably locking the hose into the storage configuration.

2. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the distance D 1 is equal to or greater than the radius R 1 of the passageway.

3. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of retainers are integrally formed with the support structure as a single, monolithic piece.

4. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of retainers comprise a C-clamp, magnet device, and/or a latch.

5. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of retainers are disposed on the interior surface.

6. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of retainers are disposed on the exterior surface.

7. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a rigid material formed as a helical structure.

8. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of collapsible sections reduce air flow by at least 20 percent through the hose when the hose is in the storage configuration relative to the in-use configuration.

9. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a housing having a dirty air inlet;
a hose with a first end to couple to the dirty air inlet and a second end for receiving dirty air, the hose including a support structure at least partially surrounded by a layer of a cover material to form a plurality of collapsible sections, each collapsible section defined by a flexible portion having an interior surface proximate a passageway of the hose and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface; and
wherein the support structure is compressible to transition the hose into a storage configuration to shorten the overall length of the hose, and an in-use configuration to increase the overall length of the hose,
and wherein the hose is held in the storage configuration via one or more retainers disposed along the hose until a force is supplied to pull the first end away from the second end of the hose.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more retainers are disposed on an external surface and/or internal surface of the hose.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more retainers are disposed on a surface of the collapsible sections.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more retainers are integrally formed with the collapsible sections as a single piece.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a tension member disposed adjacent the hose, and wherein the tension member mechanically supplies a compressive force to transition the hose to/from the storage configuration.

14. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a housing having a dirty air inlet;
a flexible hose with a plurality of collapsible sections disposed between a first end and a second end of the flexible hose, the first end to couple to the dirty air inlet of the housing and the second end for receiving dirty air, the flexible hose having a first overall length in a resting configuration and a second overall length in a compressed storage configuration, the first overall length being greater than the second overall length; and
means to removably couple each of the plurality of collapsible sections to each other to hold the flexible hose in the compressed configuration until a pulling force is supplied to extend the first and second ends of the hose away from each other;
wherein the plurality of collapsible sections reduce air flow by at least 20 percent through the hose when the hose is in the storage configuration relative to the compression configuration.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the flexible hose includes a support structure that comprises a rigid material formed as a helical structure.

16. A hose for use with a surface cleaning apparatus, the hose comprising:
a support structure extending along a length of the hose, wherein the support structure includes one or more support members at least partially surrounded by a layer of cover material to form one or more collapsible sections, wherein the hose includes an interior surface proximate a passageway of the hose for receiving dirty air and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, the hose having an outer radius of R 1 ;
wherein the support structure is compressible to transition the hose into a storage configuration to shorten the overall length of the hose, and an in-use configuration to increase the overall length of the hose, and wherein each of the one or more collapsible sections extend a distance D 1 into the passageway in the storage configuration, the distance D 1 being greater than half the radius R 1 of the hose; and
a plurality of retainers disposed on the interior surface for releasably locking the hose into the storage configuration.

17. The hose of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of retainers disposed on the exterior surface.

18. The hose of claim 16 , wherein the one or more the support members comprise at least one coil spring.

19. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a housing having a dirty air inlet; and
a hose with a first end to couple to the dirty air inlet and a second end for receiving dirty air, the hose including a support structure at least partially surrounded by a layer of a cover material to form one or more collapsible sections;
wherein the support structure is compressible to transition the hose into a storage configuration to shorten the overall length of the hose, and an in-use configuration to increase the overall length of the hose,
and wherein the hose is held in the storage configuration via a plurality of retainers disposed along an interior surface of the hose and configured to releasable couple with each other until a force is supplied to pull the first end away from the second end of the hose.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a tension member disposed adjacent the hose, and wherein the tension member mechanically supplies a compressive force to transition the hose to/from the storage configuration.

Assignees

• Sharkninja Operating Llc

Inventors

• Thorne Jason B
• Brown Andre D
• Innes Daniel
• Cottrell Lee M
• Udy Adam
• Tonderys Daniel
• Clare David
• Xu Kai

Classifications

• A47L5/28

  Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle (A47L5/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47L9/248 Primary

  Parts, details or accessories of hoses or pipes (nozzles A47L9/02) · CPC title

• A47L9/244

  for telescopic or extensible hoses or pipes · CPC title