CA2569048A1

CA2569048A1 - Vacuum cleaner having a headlight and a sidelight

Info

Publication number: CA2569048A1
Application number: CA002569048A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Chris M. Paterson; Javier Verdura; Owen T. Bourgeois; Jeffrey A. Millard; Mel Teitzman; Paul A. Moshenrose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Oreck Holdings LLC
Priority date: 2000-09-29
Filing date: 2001-09-28
Publication date: 2002-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-28
Also published as: CA2569044A1; CA2569044C; CA2569048C; CA2569050A1; CA2569042A1

Abstract

A low-profile and highly-maneuverable vacuum cleaner (100) having improved functionality including, alone or in combination, a headlight (102), a sidelight (104), anti-ingestion bars (1200), side brushes (410), a squeegee (1202), and a scent cartridge (234) for use in cleaning floors, floor coverings, carpets, upholstery and other surfaces. One embodiment includes a tortuous air flow path (802, 804) created by baffles (806) that divert air flow. The tortuous path creates quieter air flow through the vacuum housing. The tortuous air flow arrangement is for cooling the internal parts of a vacuum cleaner. Another embodiment includes an indicator light assembly (114) for the vacuum cleaner (100) visually providing the user with the vacuum's current operation status. In another embodiment, the rear wheels (224) are recessed within the head housing (106) and slightly offset rearwardly of the rear wall of the head housing (106) to provide enhanced maneuverability.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner having a light assembly, the light assembly comprising:
(a) a reflector assembly having at least one light source;
(b) a headlight optically coupled with the reflector assembly wherein the at least one light source provides light for the headlight; and (c) a sidelight optically coupled with the reflector assembly wherein the at least one light source provides light for the sidelight, whereby said headlight and sidelight are adapted to illuminate a first area in front of the vacuum cleaner and a second area along side the vacuum cleaner.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the reflector assembly includes a headlight reflector optically coupled with the at least one light source, and wherein the headlight includes a headlight lens.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the headlight reflector includes a generally vertical reflective surface defining at least one plane of curvature, the generally vertical reflective surface defining a focal region wherein the at least one light source is positioned generally within the focal region, whereby light from the at least one light source is reflected from the generally vertical reflective surface toward the headlight lens.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the generally vertical reflective surface defines a first plane of curvature and a second plane of curvature, the first plane of curvature being about the y-axis of a coordinate system, and the second plane of curvature being about the z-axis of the coordinate system.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein the at least one light source includes a first light bulb and a second light bulb, and wherein the generally vertical reflective surface defines a first generally hyperbolic reflective surface defining a first focal region and a second generally hyperbolic reflective surface defining a second focal region, and wherein the first light bulb is positioned generally within the first focal region of the first generally hyperbolic reflective surface and the second bulb is positioned generally within the second focal region, whereby light transmitted from the first bulb and from the second bulb is reflected toward the headlight lens.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the headlight lens defines a refraction contour adapted to direct light incident on the refraction contour downwardly and forwardly of the headlight lens.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein the refraction contour of the headlight lens defines a generally saw tooth pattern having a plurality of teeth defining a long face and a short face, wherein light incident on the long face of the teeth is directed downwardly and forwardly of the headlight lens.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the reflector assembly includes a sidelight reflector optically coupled with the light source, and wherein the sidelight includes a sidelight lens.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein the sidelight reflector includes an upper sidelight reflector and a lower sidelight reflector.

10. A vacuum cleaner having a light assembly, the light assembly comprising;
(a) a reflector assembly having a light source; and (b) a sidelight optically coupled to the reflector assembly, wherein the light source is adapted to provide light to the sidelight, and whereby the sidelight is adapted to illuminate an area downwardly and along side of the vacuum cleaner.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the sidelight includes a sidelight lens defining a refraction contour adapted to direct light incident on the refraction contour downwardly and forwardly of the sidelight lens, and wherein the sidelight is coupled with the vacuum on a side of the vacuum to illuminate the area downwardly and along side of the vacuum.