CN101018497A

CN101018497A - An attachment for a cleaning appliance

Info

Publication number: CN101018497A
Application number: CNA2005800074979A
Authority: CN
Inventors: P·M·亚当斯
Original assignee: Dyson Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd; Dyson Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-12
Filing date: 2005-02-23
Publication date: 2007-08-15
Also published as: EP1722666A1; GB0405591D0; JP2007525298A; GB2401310A; US20070271727A1; KR20060130718A; MY140452A; AU2005221373B2; AU2005221373A1; WO2005087072A1; CA2559327A1

Abstract

The invention provides an attachment (10, 60, 80) for a cleaning appliance (120) having a head (20, 62, 82) and a neck (30, 64, 84), the neck (30, 64, 84) being adapted to be connected to the mouth (50) of a wand (128) or hose (130) of the cleaning appliance (120). The neck (30, 64, 84) has a first portion (32, 66, 86) which, in use, lies alongside the mouth (50) of the wand or hose and a second portion (36, 68, 88) which, in use, is spaced away from the mouth (50) of the wand or hose. This arrangement provides a bleed air passageway (42) which allows atmospheric air to be bled into the hose or wand so as to reduce the suction at the main suction opening (24, 62a, 82d) of the attachment (10, 60, 80). It also provides an advantageous storage solution for the attachments (10, 60, 80) of the cleaning appliance (120).

Description

The annex that is used for cleaning appliance

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of annex that is used for cleaning appliance, especially for but be not limited to the annex of vacuum cleaner.The present invention also provides the composite set with attachment holder and at least one annex.The present invention further provides vacuum cleaner with at least one annex.

Background technology

As everyone knows, provide the annex of vacuum cleaner usually by dust catcher manufacturer, so that their product is widely used.For example, a lot of vacuum cleaners all are furnished with the stair tool that the cleaning stair are used, and do not abrade the surface dirt cleaning brush instrument on surface, and the crevice tool that is used to clean the zonule that instrument can't be approaching greatly.These instruments or annex utilize the simple frictional fit of columnar flexible pipe or tube end and instrument circle tube neck part usually, are connected with the flexible pipe or the pipe of vacuum cleaner.Sometimes also be furnished with hook or thorn-like structure to improve the reliability that connects.Yet, need be to providing packaging system with the join domain that the frictional fit of the cylindrical shape part of dust catcher is connected by the instrument circle tube neck part.Also known be furnished with permanent leakage hole to stop the too big consequently suction of annex oral area suction on special surface in annex.These be expensive for manufacturer and leakage hole also blocked easily.

If provide instrument or annex to vacuum cleaner, manufacturer is faced with the problem of depositing these instruments.The consumer is ready that more tool storage is on vacuum cleaner next door and like less, lighter vacuum cleaner.To manufacturer some challenges have been proposed at vacuum cleaner and other cleaning appliances next door storing tools.

Summary of the invention

The purpose of this invention is to provide a kind of annex that is used for cleaning appliance, it is very economical and be not easy to be bonded at any surface when using this instrument or annex to manufacturer.Further purpose of the present invention provides and is used for cleaning appliance and can leaves annex on the vacuum cleaner effectively in.

The invention provides a kind of annex that is used for cleaning appliance with head and neck, neck is suitable for being connected with the pipe of cleaning appliance or the oral area of flexible pipe, the neck tool is positioned at the first of pipe or flexible pipe oral area in use, it is characterized in that, neck has second portion, it separates with the oral area of pipe or flexible pipe in use, to form air duct between the oral area of the second portion of neck and pipe or flexible pipe.

The second portion of the neck that the oral area of provide in use and pipe or flexible pipe separates allows air to leak inlet pipe or flexible pipe without annex.This has just for good and all reduced the suction that the annex oral area produces, and has reduced annex and be bonded at the lip-deep risk of using annex.This structure for manufacturer not only simply but also easy and is compared with other instruments and have been reduced manufacturing cost.

In a preferred embodiment, the second portion of neck is inwardly outstanding from neck, forms complete cylindrical shape.The minimum diameter that this has reduced neck provides the advantage of depositing annex easily, particularly when accommodating parts during at flexible pipe or pipe, compares than the annex of prior art, and annex can leave in from flexible pipe or the nearer place of pipe.

The present invention also provides a kind of composite set that is used for the attachment holder of cleaning appliance, and this cleaner has pipe or flexible pipe and at least one according to annex of the present invention.The present invention further provides vacuum cleaner with pipe or flexible pipe and at least one annex according to the present invention.

Below with reference to accompanying drawing embodiments of the invention are described.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 a is the perspective view of first embodiment that is used for the annex of cleaning appliance according to the present invention;

Fig. 1 b is another perspective view of annex among Fig. 1 a;

Fig. 2 is the profile that the annex of presentation graphs 1a and Fig. 1 b is connected with the flexible pipe or the pipe of cleaning appliance;

Fig. 3 a is that expression is with first replaces the different perspective view of annex as the accessory class as shown in Fig. 1 a and Fig. 1 b with Fig. 3 b;

Fig. 4 a is expression and second different perspective view of replacing annex as the accessory class as shown in Fig. 1 a and Fig. 1 b with Fig. 4 b;

Fig. 5 a is positioned at the attachment holder on the cleaning appliance pipe and the perspective view of three annexes according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 b is the profile of attachment holder, annex and pipe among Fig. 5 a;

Fig. 6 is the side view that expression attachment holder according to the present invention is positioned at the position on the vacuum cleaner hose;

Fig. 7 a is the side view according to second embodiment of annex neck of the present invention that is connected on the flexible pipe of cleaning appliance or the pipe;

Fig. 7 b is connected to the flexible pipe of cleaning appliance or the pipe upper end side view according to the 3rd embodiment of annex neck of the present invention; And

Fig. 7 c is connected to the flexible pipe of cleaning appliance or the pipe upper end side view according to the 4th embodiment of annex neck of the present invention.

The specific embodiment

Fig. 1 a and 1b represent first embodiment of the annex according to the present invention.Annex takes to have the form of crevice tool 10, and it has head 20 and neck 30.Head 20 has the elongate body 22 of band suction inlet 24 at the end away from neck 30.Identical with known crevice tool, than long and thin, to allow the zone near very difficult approaching floor, suction inlet 24 is positioned at the major axis plane inclined along slender bodies 22 to elongate body 22 relatively.

Neck 30 is fabricated to one with head 20, and is suitable for cooperating with the pipe of cleaning appliance (not shown) and the end of flexible pipe.Head 30 has first 32, and it comprises 20 part-cylindrical wall that extend out vertically 34 from the head.The spatial form of the outer surface of part-cylindrical wall 34 is set to be inserted into the end of pipe or flexible pipe, and keeps wherein by the mode of frictional fit.In this embodiment, part-cylindrical wall 34 circumferentially extends about 250 °.Head 30 has the second portion 36 that comprises part-cylindrical wall 38, and part-cylindrical wall 38 is inwardly outstanding with respect to first 32.

First and

second parts

32,36 define the air duct 40 by the neck 30 of crevice tool 10 jointly.The internal communication of the main body 20 of this air duct 40 and crevice tool 10 is with the air duct of restriction along the whole length extension of crevice tool 10.

Fig. 2 illustrates flexible pipe or the cylindrical end of pipe or the connected mode of oral area 50 of crevice tool 10 and cleaning appliance.The neck 30 of crevice tool 10 is inserted into the end 50 of flexible pipe or pipe, makes first 32 be directly adjacent to the inwall 52 of oral area 50.The spatial form of first 32 guarantees that crevice tool 10 remains on the oral area 50 reliably by friction.Yet second portion 36 separates with the wall 52 of oral area 50 as shown in Figure 2.Second air duct 42 with air duct 40 separates is formed between second portion 36 and the oral area 50.

During use, when crevice tool 10 is connected to the oral area 50 of the flexible pipe of vacuum cleaner or pipe, the air duct 40 and second air duct 42 all are communicated with flexible pipe or pipe, are connected with the suction fan (not shown) in turn, and air is sucked by two air ducts 40 and 42.Air duct 40 is drawn into crevice tool 10 by suction inlet 24 with air, and suction inlet 24 is controlled the surface that is cleaned by the operator of vacuum cleaner.Simultaneously, in the position away from the surface that is cleaned, air is inhaled into second air duct 42.Reduced the suction in suction inlet 24 generations so effectively, compared with the existing general equipment that does not have second air duct 42, the possibility that makes crevice tool 10 adhere to the surface reduces.

From the foregoing description as can be known, the present invention at first is the shape and the structure of the neck 30 of crevice tool 10.The present invention also can be used for the annex of the other types of cleaning appliance, as Fig. 3 a, and two replacement annexes that 3b, 4a and 4b represent.Annex shown in Fig. 3 a and the 3b is the stair tool 60 with head 62 and neck 64.The head 62 of this stair tool 60 has the suction inlet 62a on the lower side 62b that is formed on the general closed planar shape.The neck 30 of neck 64 crevice tool 10 as described in the preceding is the same, has the first local cylindrical part and divides 66 and divide 68 from the second inwardly outstanding local cylindrical part of first 66.The air duct 70 of the internal communication of first 66 and second portion 68 common qualifications and head 62.The inside of head 64 and air duct 70 provide the air duct that extends stair tool 60 whole length from suction inlet 62a jointly.

Annex shown in Fig. 4 a and the 4b is a brush tool 80.This brush tool has head 82 and neck 84.Head 82 comprises support ring 82a, and the tapering part 82c that extends between support ring 82a and neck 84, and support ring has the mane 82b that is provided with at the support ring opening.End away from the mane 82b of neck 84 limits suction inlet 82d.Neck 84 is as described in the previous embodiment to have the first local cylindrical part and divides the 86 and second local cylindrical part to divide 88.It is 88 inwardly outstanding from first 86 that the second local cylindrical part is divided, with first's 86 common air ducts 90 that limit by neck 84.Air duct 90 is communicated with the inside and the suction inlet 82d of head 82, with the air duct of the whole length that forms extension bristle instrument 80.

Stair tool 60 and brush tool 80 all are connected in an identical manner to the oral area 50 of flexible pipe or pipe with crevice tool 10.Under every kind of situation,

neck

64,84 all is inserted into the flexible pipe of vacuum cleaner or other cleaning appliances or the oral area 50 of pipe, makes first 66,86 tightly be coupled to the inwall of oral area 50.The

second portion

68,68 and the oral area 50 of

neck

64,84 separate, so that form second air duct separately along air duct 70,90.When vacuum cleaner or other cleaning appliances together use with stair tool 60 that is connected with flexible pipe or pipe or brush tool 80, air is by

suction inlet

62a, 82d is inhaled into

annex

60,80, and cleaning, but air also is drawn into flexible pipe or pipe by second air duct.Air is from

suction inlet

62a, and 82d is separated, and therefore has to reduce at suction inlet 62a the effect of the suction that 82d produces.

The further advantage of aforesaid annex neck structure is that they more can be deposited compactly than other instruments with tubular neck.This point obtains explanation in Fig. 5 a and 5b.Fig. 5 a and 5b represent the pipe 100 of vacuum cleaner, and it is equipped with the attachment holder 110 of carrying aforesaid crevice tool 10, stair tool 60 and brush tool 80.Attachment holder 110 comprises part-cylindrical center wall 112 substantially, and it is by there being enough flexible material to make to allow handle 110 to go up or deviate from from pipe 100 cards.If desired, the invention provides the positioner (not shown), to reduce the risk that handle 110 skids along pipe 100 accidents.The center wall 112 of handle 110 has three Unitarily molded projections 114.The shape of these projections 114 is suitable for being installed in

air duct

40,70 and 90 along the

second portion

36,68 and 98 of the neck of each

corresponding tool

10,60 and 80.They also flexibly are partial to center wall 112, and so that a spot of confining force to be provided, a corresponding instrument remains on the position in the handle 110.If desired, texture can be made in the surface of each projection 114 or use certain material film plating, will improve the ability of holding with a firm grip of projection 114.Also can provide inner coupling part (not shown), as recess and groove at the

second portion

36,68,98 of

annex

10,60,80 and the center wall 112 of projection 114 or handle 110.

The explanation that the advantage of structure of the present invention mainly obtains being perfectly clear in Fig. 5 b.As we can see from the figure, if neck the 30,64, the 84th, cylindrical shape, the part-cylindrical

second portion

36,68,98 as the

neck

30,64,84 of

annex

10,60,80 that is provided allows

annex

10,60,80 is remained on more position near pipe or flexible pipe.This is than the compacter way of depositing was provided in the past.

Also can see, crevice tool 10 shown in Fig. 1 a, 1b, 3a and the 3b and stair tool 60, the common design of

head

20,60 is not projected into outside the second portion 36,68.Yet the brush tool 80 shown in Fig. 4 a and the 4b, head 82 comprise part-cylindrical part 82e, and its line with second portion 88 extends to tapering part 82c and support ring 82a. part-cylindrical part 82e and second portion 88 and forms continuous surface.This assurance, when brush tool 80 is connected on the handle 110 shown in Fig. 5 a, the shape of the head 82 of brush tool 80 does not stop brush tool 80 reliably and safely to be connected on the handle 110, and brush tool 80 remains on the handle 110 in compact as far as possible mode.

Fig. 6 represents to have the vacuum cleaner 120 of main body 122, and main body comprises the device 124 of separation, and as shown in the Examples, it adopts the form of Cyclonic separating apparatus.Vacuum cleaner 120 has the floor tool 126 that is connected to main body 122 by pipe 128 and flexible pipe 130.Attachment holder 110 as Fig. 5 a and 5b shown type remains on the flexible pipe 130 as shown in the figure releasedly.Handle 110 also can snap on the pipe 128 as required.

Annex

10,60,80 remained on the handle 110 in time spent not, but also can be when needed, removed and tightened up from the terminal 128a of the pipe 128 of floor tool 126.In addition, annex can be fastened on the terminal 130a of flexible pipe 130.

In the neck structure of each instrument as mentioned above, second portion all is the shape of part-cylindrical, and extends internally from first, and enough parking spaces are provided.Yet, other structures that are equal to replacement also can be arranged, represent three alternative embodiments as Fig. 7 a, 7b and 7c.In the structure shown in Fig. 7 a, foregoing embodiment, however neck 150 has the first 152. of part-cylindrical, and second portion 154 is angled rather than part-cylindrical.Second portion 154 is inwardly outstanding from first 152, like this, when neck 150 is inserted in the oral area 156 of the flexible pipe of vacuum cleaner or pipe, forms second air duct 158 between oral area 156 and second portion 154.

Among Fig. 7 b, neck 160 has part-cylindrical first 162 and the plane second portion 164 of the string shape part that forms between the end of first 162.When neck 160 is inserted in the oral area 166 of flexible pipe or pipe, between oral area 156 and second portion 164, form second air duct 168.

Further replacing in the structure, neck 170 has part-cylindrical first 172 and part-cylindrical second portion 174.Yet second portion is outwards outstanding from first 172.In this structure, the annex with part formation neck 170 must cooperate by the outer surface of oral area 176, and by the mode of frictional fit, annex is to the oral area 176 of flexible pipe or pipe again.Between oral area 176 and second portion 174, form second air duct 178 then.Air is sucked into flexible pipe or pipe by the suction inlet that is formed on an annex part simultaneously along second air duct 178 bleed flexible pipe or pipe, with the suction that reduces to produce at suction inlet.

Above-mentioned annex and attachment holder can be by manufacturer by using the Unitarily molded easily processing of plastic material.

It is very tangible that those skilled in the art does different improvement according to the foregoing description.For example, the accurate shape of neck second portion can be changed, exceed shape as shown in the figure.And, the annex that the invention is not restricted to crevice tool, brush tool, stair tool and have the other types of described type neck.Instrument also can be stored in the main body of cleaning appliance or other place.The utensil of depositing described type attachment holder is not very important, and annex utensil of the present invention also can be used for other cleaning appliances except that vacuum cleaner, as carpet cleaning machine, steam cleaner.

Claims

1, a kind of annex that is used for cleaning appliance with head and neck, neck is suitable for being connected with the pipe of cleaning appliance or the oral area of flexible pipe, and neck has the first on the oral area next door that is positioned at pipe or flexible pipe in use, it is characterized in that, neck has second portion, this part separates with the oral area of pipe or flexible pipe in use, to form air duct between the oral area of the second portion of neck and pipe or flexible pipe.

2, annex according to claim 1, wherein the first of neck is the shape of part-cylindrical.

3, annex according to claim 1 and 2, wherein the second portion of neck is the shape of part-cylindrical.

4, according to each described annex of claim 1 to 3, wherein the second portion of neck is outwards outstanding from the first of neck.

5, according to each described annex of claim 1 to 3, wherein the second portion of neck is inwardly outstanding from the first of neck.

6, annex according to claim 5, wherein the second portion of neck is the plane.

7, according to each described annex of aforementioned claim, wherein head has the part of the continuous surface that forms with the second portion of neck.

8, according to each described annex of aforementioned claim, wherein annex is one of brush tool, stair tool and crevice tool.

9, with reference to the foregoing annex that is used for cleaning appliance of any one accompanying drawing.

10, be used for cleaning appliance attachment holder, have the cleaning appliance of pipe or flexible pipe and at least one composite set of each described annex of claim as described above.

11, composite set according to claim 10, wherein attachment holder is suitable for being connected on the pipe or flexible pipe of cleaning appliance.

12, according to claim 10 or 11 described composite sets, wherein attachment holder has center wall and is suitable for the second portion of annex is placed in the other a plurality of projections of center wall.

13, have the pipe that combines with each described at least one annex of claim 1 to 9 or the vacuum cleaner of flexible pipe.

14, has each the vacuum cleaner of composite set of pipe or flexible pipe and claim 10 to 12.