Surface cleaning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9931005-B2
Application number	US-201414301204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2014
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A reconfigurable upright vacuum cleaner has a portable surface cleaning unit removably mounted to an upper portion and is securable thereto by a portable surface cleaning unit lock. The portable surface cleaning unit has the operable members of the portable surface cleaning unit lock provided on the portable surface cleaning unit and removable with the portable surface cleaning unit from the upper portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet and a pedestal member pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head, the surface cleaning head having a front side, a rear side and a central surface cleaning head axis extending between the front side and the rear side;
(b) an upper portion mounted to the pedestal member whereby the upper portion is moveable between a storage position and a floor cleaning position, the upper portion including an above floor cleaning wand;
(c) a portable surface cleaning unit comprising a suction motor and an air treatment member removably mounted on an outer surface of the upper portion;
(d) the above floor cleaning wand is removably mounted to the pedestal member and a flexible air flow conduit forms at least part of an air flow path from the above floor cleaning wand to the portable surface cleaning unit, the above floor cleaning wand having a central longitudinal axis, wherein the central longitudinal axis and the central surface cleaning head axis define a central plane;
(e) a portable surface cleaning unit lock having a locked position in which the portable surface cleaning unit is secured in position on the upper portion and an unlocked position in which the portable surface cleaning unit is removable from the position on the upper portion, the portable surface cleaning unit lock comprising a portable surface cleaning unit release actuator which is provided on the portable surface cleaning unit and is removable with the portable surface cleaning unit from the upper portion and a longitudinally extending transmission member that drivingly connects the portable surface cleaning release actuator to a lock member, the transmission member is translated downwardly to move the portable surface cleaning unit lock to the unlocked position;
wherein the above floor cleaning wand has a first laterally positioned member on one side of the central plane and a second laterally positioned member on another side of the central plane whereby the first and second laterally positioned members inhibit lateral movement of the portable surface cleaning unit when the portable surface cleaning unit is mounted to the upper portion and wherein at least a portion of the transmission member is provided at a location centrally positioned between the first and second laterally positioned members.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1
wherein the upper portion terminates at a position below the position of the portable surface cleaning unit release actuator when the portable surface cleaning unit is mounted to the upper portion.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable surface cleaning unit release actuator is positioned above the first and second laterally positioned members.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upper portion is in air flow communication with the dirty air inlet and, when the wand is mounted to the pedestal member, the wand is in air flow communication with the dirty air inlet.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an air flow passage from the dirty air inlet to the upper portion and an air inlet end of the wand is aligned with an outlet end of the air flow passage when the wand is mounted to the pedestal member.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wand comprises a lower end that is mounted to the pedestal member and an upper end, the lower end comprises a wand air inlet and the upper end comprises a wand air outlet, a handle is provided proximate the upper end of the wand, whereby, when the wand is mounted to the pedestal member, the wand is drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second laterally positioned members extend outwardly from the above floor cleaning wand.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lock member engages the upper portion at a location below an upper end of the first and second laterally positioned members.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lock member engages the upper portion at a location centrally positioned between the first and second laterally positioned members.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pedestal member terminates below the first and second laterally positioned members.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second laterally positioned members are separate elements from the portable surface cleaning unit lock.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second laterally positioned members extend linearly from the above floor cleaning wand and each of the first and second laterally positioned members have a linearly extending axis and the linearly extending axis are parallel.

13. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet and a pedestal member pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head, the surface cleaning head having a front side, a rear side and a central surface cleaning head axis extending between the front side and the rear side;
(b) an upper portion mounted to the pedestal member whereby the upper portion is moveable between a storage position and a floor cleaning position, the upper portion including an above floor cleaning wand;
(c) a portable surface cleaning unit comprising a suction motor and an air treatment member removably mounted on an outer surface of the upper portion;
(d) the above floor cleaning wand is removably mounted to the pedestal member and a flexible air flow conduit forms at least part of an air flow path from the above floor cleaning wand to the portable surface cleaning unit, the above floor cleaning wand having a central longitudinal axis, wherein the central longitudinal axis and the central surface cleaning head axis define a central plane;
(e) a portable surface cleaning unit lock having a locked position in which the portable surface cleaning unit is secured in position on the upper portion and an unlocked position in which the portable surface cleaning unit is removable from the position on the upper portion, the portable surface cleaning unit lock comprising a portable surface cleaning unit release actuator which is provided on the portable surface cleaning unit and is removable with the portable surface cleaning unit from the upper portion and a longitudinally extending transmission member that drivingly connects the portable surface cleaning release actuator to a lock member, the transmission member is translated downwardly to move the portable surface cleaning unit lock to the unlocked position;
wherein the above floor cleaning wand has a first laterally positioned member on one side of the central plane and a second laterally positioned member on another side of the central plane whereby the first and second laterally positioned members inhibit lateral movement of the portable surface cleaning unit when the portable surface cleaning unit is mounted to the upper portion;
and wherein the portable surface cleaning unit has a member that supports the lock member at a location centrally positioned between the first and second laterally positioned members.

Assignees

• Omachron Intellectual Property Inc
• Omachron Lntellectual Property Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Wayne Ernest

Classifications

• A47L9/22

  Mountings for motor fan assemblies · CPC title

• 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

• A47L9/02

  Nozzles (suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00) · CPC title

• A47L9/1691

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

• A47L5/30

  with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes · CPC title