EP0194107A2

EP0194107A2 - Attachment for a vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: EP0194107A2
Application number: EP86301433A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cecil Noel Selfe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-02-28
Filing date: 1986-02-27
Publication date: 1986-09-10
Also published as: EP0194107A3; GB2171594A; GB8604895D0

Abstract

An attachment for a vacuum cleaner comprises a suction head having a tubular portion (1) for connection to a vacuum cleaner pipe and a flared skirt (2) formed with a downwardly depending substantially rectangular flange (3). The flared skirt (2) defines a plurality of channels (5) each of which communicates with a respective opening (6) of the flange. Each channel (4) may be brought into or out of communication with the tubular portion (1) by moving a respective closure member or stopper (7) out of or into the channel. In an alternative embodiment the tubular portion is rotatably received in a socket of the skirt and is formed with a suction inlet which may be brought into communication with a selected one of the channels by rotating the tubular portion to an appropriate angular position.

Description

According to the present invention, there is provided an attachment for a vacuum cleaner, comprising a suction head for connection to a vacuum cleaner, the suction head having a plurality of channels for each communicating with a vacuum cleaner, each channel leading to a respective suction opening in the suction head, and means for selecting one of the plurality of channels for connection to the vacuum cleaner.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be put into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE I is a perspective view of one vacuum cleaner attachment embodying the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner attachment of Figure I;
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of another vacuum cleaner attachment embodying the invention; and
FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner attachment of Figure 3.

Referring firstly to Figures I and 2, there is shown one form of attachment for a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention.
As shown in Figures I and 2, the attachment comprises a suction head having a tubular portion I for attachment to the pipe of a barrel vacuum cleaner (not shown) or a pipe attachment of an upright vacuum cleaner (not shown).
The tubular portion I is connected to a flared rectangular skirt 2 constituting a cleaning head of the attachment, which skirt has a downwardly extending flange. The underside of the flared skirt 3 is divided into three channels 4 by two partitions 5. Each channel 4 communicates with a respective suction opening 6 provided in the flange 3 of the skirt 2, one opening being provided on a front face 3a of the flange of the skirt and a respective opening being provided on each side face 3b of the flange of the skirt. Each channel 4 may be individually brought into communication with the tubular portion by moving a respective stopper or closure member 7 received in an aperture 8 formed on the skirt out of the channel 4. Similarly each channel 4 may be closed by moving the respective stopper 7 into the channel 4.
Thus, when the attachment is connected to a vacuum cleaner, the arrangement enables the suction effect of the vacuum cleaner to be communicated to one or more of the three channels 4 so that the attachment may be used, for example, for cleaning right up to the skirting boards of a room.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate another form of vacuum cleaner attachment in accordance with the invention, which attachment comprises a tubular shaft 10 adapted to be connected at an upper end thereof to a vacuum cleaner suction hose (not shown) by a standard attachment bush II. The shaft 10 has a bend forming an elbow 12 between the ends of the shaft.
A lower end portion 13 of the shaft 10, which may be closed by an end wall 14, is rotatably received in a tubular socket 15 formed in an elongate skirt 16 constituting a cleaning head of the attachment, the socket 15 extending transversely of the skirt 16 at the top of the skirt.
The skirt 16 has an elongate top wall 17 which arrives upwardly from its ends to a central part cylindrical portion 18 which defines part of the socket 15 within the skirt. Vertical side walls 19 extend downwardly from the longitudinal edges of the top wall 17 to define a housing whcih is open downwardly and has downwardly inclined suction openings 20 at its ends.
A pair of partitions 21 conforming to the shape of the top wall 17, and extending between the side walls 19, extend upwardly from the lower edges of the respective side walls to the socket 15, so as to define left and right subsidiary suction channels 22 overlying a main suction channel 23. The subsidiary channels 22 communicate with the end openings 20 of the skirt 16 and the main channel 23 is downwardly open at suction opening 25.
The end portion 13 of the shaft 10 is formed in its cylindrical wall with a suction inlet 26 which can be selectively placed in communication with each of the channels 22 and 23 by rotating the shaft 10 in the socket 15 into the appropriate angular position. Rotation of the shaft 10 within the socket 15 is facilitated by the elbow 12 which enables the shaft to be swivelled without undue effort.
With the shaft 10 in the position shown in Figure 4, the suction inlet 26 is connected to the main channel 23 for normal, downward suction through opening 25.
With the shaft 10 in the position shown in Figure 3 or on the equivalent left hand position, the suction inlet 26 is connected to the corresponding subsidiary channel 22 for sideways suction through openings 20 for use in cleaning adjacent to skirting boards and in other obstructed areas.
It is envisaged that suitable detent means (not shown) may be provided to retain the end portion is of the shaft in a selected angular position with its suction inlet in commuication with a selected one of the channels.

Claims

I. An attachment for a vacuum cleaner, comprising a suction head for connection to a vacuum cleaner, the suction head having a plurality of channels for each communicating with a vacuum cleaner, each channel leading to a respective suction opening in the suction head, and means for selecting at least one of the plurality of channels for connection to the vacuum cleaner.
2. An attachment according to Claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels comprises a pair of subsidiary channels overlying a main channel.
3. An attachment according to Claim I or 2, wherein the suction head comprises a skirt defining the channels and a tubular portion extending from the skirt for connection to a vacuum cleaner pipe.
4. An attachment according to Claim 3, wherein the skirt is provided with a downwardly depending flange.
5. An attachment according to Claim 4, wherein the suction openings are formed in the flange.
6. An attachment according to Claim 5, wherein the flange is substantially rectangular and each opening is formed in a respective side of the flange.
7. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the selecting means comprises a respective closure member for each channet, each closure member being slidable into and out of the respective channel to close or open the same.
8. An attachment according to Claim 3, wherein the tubular portion is rotatably received in a socket defined by the skirt.
9. An attachment according to Claim 8, wherein each of the channels communicates with the socket and the selecting means comprises an inlet opening in the tubular portion which is selectively brought into communication with each of the channels by rotating the tubular portion in the socket into a respective angular position.
10. An attachment according to Claim 9 wherein the tubular portion of the suction head is formed with an elbow to facilitate rotation of the tubular portion within its socket.