Surface cleaning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9314138-B2
Application number	US-201313781406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

An surface cleaning apparatus comprises at least one of a surface cleaning unit lock and a cyclone bin assembly lock. A lockout member disables the at least one of the surface cleaning unit lock and the cyclone bin assembly lock when a handle is used to carry the surface cleaning apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;
(b) an upper portion moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position;
(c) a surface cleaning unit removably mounted to a support structure on the upper portion and comprising a handle, a suction motor and an air treatment member;
(d) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet and including a flexible air flow conduit forming at least part of an air flow path from the dirty air inlet to the surface cleaning unit; and,
(e) a surface cleaning unit lock having a locked position in which the surface cleaning unit is secured to the upper portion and an unlocked position in which the surface cleaning unit is removable from the upper portion; and,
(f) the surface cleaning unit lock comprises a locking member, a manually actuatable member operatively connected to the locking member and a lockout member preventing the surface cleaning unit lock from changing from the locked position to the unlocked potion when the handle is used to carry the surface cleaning apparatus.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the manually actuatable member is positioned proximate or on the handle.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at surface cleaning lock is electrically operated and the lockout member is electronically operated.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lockout member comprises a sensor that disables the lock when the sensor determines that the handle is used to carry the surface cleaning apparatus.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor provided on the handle.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 lockout member is mechanically operated.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of 6 wherein the handle is moveably mounted with respect to the surface cleaning unit and is drivingly connected to the lockout member whereby, when the handle is used to carry the surface cleaning apparatus, the handle moves upwardly and drives the lockout member to a lockout position whereby the surface cleaning unit lock is disabled.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein, the handle is drivingly connected to a cam member and the cam member is drivingly connected to the lockout member.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein one of the handle and the lockout member is part of the cam member.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an air treatment member lock that releasably secures the air treatment member to a suction motor housing, the air treatment member lock having a locked position in which the air treatment member is secured to the suction motor housing and an unlocked position in which the air treatment member is removable from the suction motor housing.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one of surface cleaning unit lock and the air treatment member lock is electrically operated.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the air treatment member lock comprises a solenoid drivingly connected to a pin provided on one of the cyclone bin assembly and the suction motor housing and a member engageable by the in provided on the other of cyclone bin assembly and the suction motor housing.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the solenoid is biased to the locked position when the solenoid is isolated from a source of power.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone bin assembly.

Assignees

• Omachron Intellectual Property Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Wayne Ernest

Classifications

• A47L9/122

  flat · CPC title

• A47L5/225 Primary

  Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners · CPC title

• A47L9/248

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

• A47L9/1691

  Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles · CPC title

• A47L9/246

  with electrical connectors · CPC title