CA1211909A - Floor care appliance with mounted accessory appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The invention includes a floor care appliance with a rigid housing having a recess for the receipt of cleaning appliance. The cleaning appliance may then be transported with the floor care appliance.

Description

Canadian Case 2202 V~

This invention relates to floor care appliances and, more particularly~ relates to an upright cleaner having a recess for the storage of an accessory appl.iance.
Tool s~orage in canister cleaners either wi~hin or on ~he canister casing is old and well k~own. Storage of tools on the handles of uprigh~ cleaners or the like is also known. But no one heretoforeD to ~pplican~s knowledge~ has advantageously provided a floor care appliance having a recess mounted accessory appliance disposed in a rigid housing of the floor care appliance.
AccordinglyD it is an object of the invention to pro~
vide an upright type floor care appliance with accessory storage in a rigid housing of the floor care applianceO
It is an additional object of the invention to nest an accessory appliance in an upright type floor care applianceO
It is a further object of the invention to provide an upper rigid housing for a vacuum cleaner having a recess for an accessory appliance~
It is a still further object of the invention to pro~
vide a recess for the reception of a hand held appliance in a rigid housing of an upright vacuum cleaner.
The invention can he characterized as an upright cleaner~ including an upwardly extending rigid housing to which is attached at its upper end a handle that terminates at said upper end; said upwardly extending rigid housing having a recess formed in it, intermediate its height~ said recess adapted for ~he receipt of a cleaning appliance or the like for transport of said cleaning appliance with said upright cleanerO
The invention can also be charackerized as an upright cleaner having a rigid housing forming a nozzle member and a rigid housing extending upwardly rom said rigid housing forming a nozzle member including; a recess formed in one of said housings and a cleaner appliance di.sposed in said recess.

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Canadian Case 2~02 ~Z~

The inventisn can be further characterized as the structure of ~he proceeding paragraph with~ the upright housing contains the recess; the cleaner appli.ance being a hand held cleaner; a means for latching the cleaner appliance being pro~
vided; the means for latching being disposed partly in the recess;
the recess extending beyond the front wall of the rigid housing and the cleaner appliance extending into this extruding por:tion;
the recess extending vertically~ and the housing cover extending upwaxdly to form a carrying handleO
Reference now may be had to the accompanying Drawings for a better understanding of the invention, both as to its or~
ganization and function, with the illustration being of a pre-ferred and a secondary embodiment, but being only exemplary, and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embo-diment of the inven~ion;
~ igure 2 is a front elevational view of the upper rigid housing of the preferred embodiment;
Figure 3 is a side elevation viewO partly in cross sec-tion~ of the same rigid housing;
Fisure 4 is a perspective view~ in latched and un~latched position~ of the latching arrangement for the accessory appliance of Figure l;
Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5~5 of Figure 4 and showing one end of the latching linkage with the spring removed;
Figure 6 is a somewhat schematic illustration of the catch o the latching arrangement of Figure 4 in nea~ly engayedO
engaged and disengaged position;
Figure 7 is a generali~ed viewO partly in cross sectionD
of the accessory appliance of Figure 1 in latched and unlatched position;

~ , w 2 1_ Canadian Case 2202 Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the ri.gid housing of Figure 1 showing the accesso.ry appliance pocket;
Figure 9 is a front elevational view of a second embo~
diment of the invention;
Figure 10 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of Figure 9; and Figure 11 is a somewhat diagramatic view of the latch arrangement of the second embodimentO
The invention (Figure 1) comprehends a vacuum cleaner or floor care appliance 10 having a lower rigid housing 12 containing conventionallyj the suction nozzle (not shown) and an upperO up-wardly extending rigid housing 14, conventionally, pivotally attached to the lower rigid housing 12O The lower rigid housing includes wheels 16, while the upper rigid housing 14 is provided with a handle 18 extending upwardly from ito Mounted within a front portion or cover 20 of the upper rigid housing 14 is an accessory cleaning appliance 22 which may ideally take the form of a hand held cleaner. Such a ~leaner is generally disclosed in UOS. ~pplication Serial ~o~ 06/354~780, 20 ~iled 2 ~pril 19~20 titled, I'Remote Switch Actuator" and owned by a common assigneec Reference should be had to this .Application for a more particulariæed description of accessory appliance 22.
Accessory appliance 22 is lodged or nested in a pocket or depression 24 extending inwardly of the front portion or cover 20 of upper rigid housing 14 so that a portion of the accessory appliance 22 juts outwardly therefrom including a handle 26 of the accessory appliance 22.
The vacuum cleaner 10 also includes a bag 28 extending upwardly behind the upper rigid housing 14 and mounted at its upper end by a spring 30. A handgrip 32 is attached to the handle 26 at its upper end. ~ carrying handle 34 is also in-cluded in the upper rigid housing -14 in the front cover 200 -3~

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Canadian case 2202 ~2~

The accessory appliance 22 nests within the pocket or depression 24 and conforms closely to it because of the open shell like configuration of the pocket 24 which includes top wall 35~ side walls 36 and 38 and back wall 40 which taper to conform to the taper of the accessory appliance 22 with the side w~lls 36 and 38 and back wall 40 curving inwardly at tha thickest por~
tion of the accessory appliance 220 ~ t the front~ lower side of the pocket 24 is formed a thickened semi~soft vinyl material portion 42 of the pocket 24 lQ providing an upwardly opening generally V~shape 44 in which nests a snout 46 of the accessory appliance 22. A front poxtion 48 of thickened portion 42 is thereby formed to provide a wall ob~
structing the direct outwaxd removal from the pocket 24 of the accessory appliance 22~
In order to maintain -the accessory appliance 22 within the pocket 24 at its upper end~ a plastic latching arrangement 50 is provided which engages with the acce~sory appliance 22O It includes a button 52 extending outwardly~ for convenient opera-tor access, from a top 56 of upper rigid housing 14~
~0 The button 52 is guided through a hole 57 in top 56 and is integral with a long thrust link 54 that extends down~
wardly therefrom within the confines of the vacuum cleaner 10 as bordered by a back wall 58 of the cleaner lOo The long thrust Iink 54 includes an o:Efset 60~ at its bottom, which is pivoted by a loose pivot 62~ formed by an iIl~
tegral short shaft 67~ to a generally horizontally extending thinner cross link 64, the offset 60 placing the outer sides thrust link 54 and cross link 64 in general alignment and per~
mitting thrust link 54 to be thickened along most of its lengthO
These two links are pivoted to an intermediate wall 66 extending downward from top 56 by a pivot 680 The pivot 68 of cross link 69 is formed by an integral connector button 70 having a series , ~4~

~2~9~ Canadian Case 2202 .
of wedges 74~ 74 on its opposite split end~ The "wedgedl' end of the connector button 70 is inserted through a bore 78 in wall 66 so that the one way wedges 74 ~ 74 captiva-te the connector 70 in the wall 6Go The button 70 then turns with the link 64 through rotating surface 71 ~
Intermediate the ends of the cross link 64 is a latch carrying link 80 that depends downwardly. This link is loosely pivoted to cross link 64 by pivot 82 formed by a short stub shaf-t 84 on the upper end of link 80 inserted a bore 86 in cross link 64. The loose pivots 62 and 84 are maintained connected by the general alignment of the arrangement 50. Below the pivot 82~ the latch carrying link 80 is stepped outwardly so that a track section 88 of it can form oppositely facing channels 90 and 92 which receive wall portions 94 and 96 of in-termediate wall 66 therein. An aperture 98 in an offset 99 of intermediate wall 66 permits the downward insertion therein of latch carrying link B~low the track section 88~ t~e latch carrying link 80 includes a downwardly extending portion 100 which carries a latch catch 102 on its inner side utilized for locking purposesu On its outer side~ link 80 is attached with a cross piece 104 which serves as a reinforcement and an abutment check~ acting against the outer wall 58~ if the link 80 is distorted outwardly The latching arrangement 50 is spring urged upwardly by a coil tension spring 106 having hooked ends 108 and 110 that connect~ respect~vely~ through an aperture 1]2 in intermediate wall 66 and an aperture 114 in cross link 640 The spring 106 lay~ partly in cutout 116 in intermediate wall 660 A stop 115J
integral with intermediate wall 66 a¢ts against spring 106 and limits upward movement of the latching arrangement 50~ A stop 117~ integral with intermediate wall 66 limits downward movement -5~

Canadian Case 2202 ~2~

Latch catch 102 extends through a vertically extendiny ~lot 118 in intermediate wall 66 and then through a keyhole shaped slot 119 in the back wall 40 of the pocket 24 (eOg.
Figure 3)~ formed by the ~ront cover 20 of upper rigid housing 14 so as to be engageable with the accessory appliance 22~
Disposed within accessory appliance 22 is a latching recess 122 which is tapered from its top to form~ generally~ a trianglP with rounded points and with the apex uppermostO It includes ~t its top a la~ching lip or ¢atch 126 that extends downwardly from the top and forms a ledge behind which latch catch 102 locks by means of a latch portion 1280 The keyhole slot 119 is 3haped to pPrmit inser-tion of the enlarged nose 103 of latch catch 102 at its top so that the latch catch is situated to engage latching recess 1220 The operation of tha preferred embodiment should now be ; apparentO Assuming that the accessory appliance 22 is mounted in nested configuration with the cleaner 10~ to release the ac-cessory appliance the button 52 is depressed driving the latching arrangement 50 downwardly (dashed position in Figure 4)0 This moves the latch catch 102 downwardly (Figure 7~ clearin~ a latch portion 128 of it from the lip 126. The accessory appliance 22 is then tilted outwardly from its top (dashed position in Figure 7) and then removed from the lower portion of the pocket 24 up~
wardly to free its snout 460 To nest the accessory appliance 22 in the cleaner 10~
the above process is generally reversed~ The snout 46 is put in the lower reaches of the pocket 24 and the accessory appliance is swung inwardly providing a camminy action between the latch por-.
tion 128 and the lip 126 (Figure 6) by camming surfaces 130 and 132~ respectively, until the latching linkage 50 can move up~
wardly locking the accessory appliance 22 to the cleaner lOo . ~6~

~2~Q~ Canadian Case 2202 The embodiment illustrated in Figures 9~11" utilizes primed numerals ~or similar but differing structure than that shown in the preferred embodiment~
A cleaner 10' includes an upper rigid housing 14~ sur~
mounted by a handle 180 A front portion 20' houses an acsessory appliance 22~ in a pocket 24~ The accessory appl~nce 22~
includes a handle 26~ for cleaning manipulat.ion purposes~ As is conventional~ the cleaner 10: has a dirt collecting bag 28 ex-tending upwardly along the upper rigid housing 14~ ~ carrying handle 34~ is mounted to upper reaches of the front portion 20 D
The pocket 24l includes a top wall 35~ side walls 36 and 38~ and a back wall 40~ The bottom of the pocket 24' is closed by a cup shaped lower portion 42~ which includes a front wall 1340 Thuso the accessory appliance 22~ is lodged in the pocket 24'~ conforming generally to its outline and held in at its bottom by front wall 1340 A latching arrangement 50~ maintains the accessory ap-pliance in the pocket 24D at its topO It takes the form of a generally springy7 U~shaped piece having a bight 136 and ex~
20 tending legs 138 and 140~ The legs are tipped at their oute.r ends with hook portions forming latch catches 102~ 102 3 having latch portions 128~, 128~o A pair of lip or ledge forming abut~
ments 142, 144 are mounted with the accessory appliance 22t around which latch portions 128'~ 128~ engage.
It should be obvious that the accessory appliance 22' is easily placed in or removed from the pocket by forcing the latching arrangement 50 to cammingly accspt reception of it or by springing the latch catches 102:, 102 i outwardly for removal of the accessory appliance 22 I D
It should be clear from the foregoing that the objects of the invention have been fully met. Furtherr man~ modifica~

tions to the structure described could be made easily by one Canadian Case 2202 ~2~

skilled in the art which would .still fall within the spirit and purview of ~he description o:EferedO

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Claims (9)

1. An upright cleaner including an upwardly extending rigid housing to which is attached at its upper end a handle that terminates at said upper end;
said upwardly extending rigid housing having a recess formed in it, intermediate its height, said recess adapted for the receipt of a cleaning appliance or the like for transport of said cleaning appliance with said upright cleaner.

2. An upright cleaner having a rigid housing forming a nozzle member and a rigid housing extending upwardly from said rigid housing forming a nozzle member including;
a) a recess formed in one of said rigid housings, and b) a cleaner appliance disposed in said recess.

3. The upright cleaner of claim 2 wherein;
a) said rigid housing containing said recess is said upwardly extending one.

4. The upright cleaner of claim 2 wherein;
a) said cleaner appliance is a hand held cleaner.

5. The upright cleaner of claim 2 wherein;
a) a means for latching said cleaner appliance holds said cleaner appliance in said recess.

6. The upright cleaner of claim 5 wherein;
a) said means for latching is disposed at least partly in said recess.

7. The upright cleaner of claim 2 wherein;
a) said recess extends beyond a front wall portion of said rigid housing, and b) an end of said cleaner appliance extends into said extending portion of said recess.

8. The upright cleaner of claim 7 wherein;
a) said recess extends vertically.

9. The upright cleaner of claim 2 wherein;
a) said housing cover extends upwardly forming a carrying handle.