EP1661502A2 - Tuyau de succion téléscopique pour aspirateur - Google Patents

Tuyau de succion téléscopique pour aspirateur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1661502A2
EP1661502A2 EP05257082A EP05257082A EP1661502A2 EP 1661502 A2 EP1661502 A2 EP 1661502A2 EP 05257082 A EP05257082 A EP 05257082A EP 05257082 A EP05257082 A EP 05257082A EP 1661502 A2 EP1661502 A2 EP 1661502A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
wand
tubes
handle
drive means
cleaning tool
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP05257082A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1661502B1 (fr
EP1661502A3 (fr
Inventor
Alexander Anthony Denny Bassett
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hoover Ltd
Original Assignee
Hoover Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hoover Ltd filed Critical Hoover Ltd
Publication of EP1661502A2 publication Critical patent/EP1661502A2/fr
Publication of EP1661502A3 publication Critical patent/EP1661502A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1661502B1 publication Critical patent/EP1661502B1/fr
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/24—Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings
    • A47L9/242—Hose or pipe couplings
    • A47L9/244—Hose or pipe couplings for telescopic or extensible hoses or pipes

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a wand for a vacuum cleaner and to a method of using a vacuum cleaner provided with such a wand.
  • Vacuum cleaners of the so-called cylinder or canister type are well known. Such cleaners comprise a body incorporating a motor-and-fan unit and a filter bag or cyclone for the separation and collection of dirt.
  • dust laden air is drawn into the vacuum cleaner body by the motor/fan unit along a tubular wand which is connected to the vacuum cleaner body via a flexible hose.
  • a floor-engaging cleaning tool is connected to the distal end of the wand remote from the flexible hose.
  • the end of the wand remote from the cleaning tool is equipped with a handle which the user grips in order to repeatedly move the wand and its associated cleaning tool to and fro over the surface being cleaned.
  • the wand In use, the wand should be inclined to the surface being cleaned at an angle of typically 30 to 45 degrees, so that the cleaning tool adopts the correct attitude on the floor.
  • the angle at which the wand is held is dependant on the height and the preferred posture of the user.
  • Many wands are of a fixed length or of a length which can only be adjusted by the addition or removal of elongate extension tubes. Accordingly, there is a risk that the wand may not be inclined to the surface being cleaned at the correct angle, or that users may tire trying to hold the wand at an angle which does not suit their height or preferred posture.
  • a wand which includes a tube assembly comprising a pair of rigid tubes telescopically coupled to each other and provided with a locking mechanism which includes a catch on one of the tubes for selectively engaging any one of a series of transverse grooves formed longitudinally on the other tube, so that the tubes can be locked to each other at selected positions of longitudinal extension.
  • a tube assembly comprising a pair of rigid tubes telescopically coupled to each other and provided with a locking mechanism which includes a catch on one of the tubes for selectively engaging any one of a series of transverse grooves formed longitudinally on the other tube, so that the tubes can be locked to each other at selected positions of longitudinal extension.
  • the user can actuate the locking mechanism to set the most comfortable wand extension to suit his or her height or preferred posture.
  • the extension of the wand can also be adjusted to assist in cleaning under tables and other items of furniture.
  • a problem of such telescopic wands is that the user may have to use both hands to adjust the length of the wand. In particular it is difficult for the user to adjust the overall length of the wand whilst cleaning. Furthermore, it is not possible to effect a precise adjustment of the length of the wand due to the minimum intervals of the locking grooves carried on one of the tubes.
  • a solution to this problem is provided by the telescopic wand disclosed in International Patent Application WO01/65992, in which a longitudinally extending rack is disposed on the lower tube and a motorised worm gear on the upper tube.
  • a switch is provided on the handle portion of the wand for actuating the motor to adjust the extension of the wand, without the need for the user to grasp the tubes.
  • the extension can be set at any position between the fully extended and fully retracted positions. The extension can also be adjusted whilst cleaning, for example so that the wand can reach under furniture more easily.
  • a disadvantage of known wands is that the repeated to and fro cleaning movement is tiring, particularly for users of slight build, or during cleaning of surfaces of extensive area. In addition, difficulty can be experienced in moving the cleaning tool to some areas of the surface being cleaned.
  • a wand for a vacuum cleaner comprising a handle and an elongate tube assembly extending from said handle and arranged for a cleaning tool to be disposed on its distal end, said tube assembly comprising first and second elongate tubes which are telescopically interconnected, and drive means connected between said tubes for varying the extension thereof, said drive means being arranged to increase the extension of said tubes in response to said cleaning tool being urged forwardly over a surface to be cleaned, and to decrease the extension of said tubes in response to said cleaning tool being urged rearwardly over said surface to be cleaned.
  • the cleaning tool In use, during forward and rearward movement, the cleaning tool is able to move a greater distance over the surface being cleaned than the distance through which the users hand moves the wand. In this manner, the cleaning operation is less tiresome for the user.
  • the cleaning tool is able to extend into areas of the surface being cleaned which would otherwise be difficult to reach.
  • the forward and rearward movement is successively repeated so as to progressively move the floor-engaging cleaning tool over the entire surface to be cleaned.
  • the telescopic wand disclosed in International Patent Application WO01/65992 is unsuitable for use in accordance with the method of the present invention because the pitch of the teeth on the rack needs to be small to give the required finite control and to prevent the motor from jamming. Accordingly, the time taken for the worm gear to travel along the length of a rack of suitable length for the present invention would far exceed the time taken for the user to urge the wand forwardly or rearwardly.
  • Another disadvantage is that the provision of a sufficiently powerful motor is expensive and cable is required to feed power to the motor on the wand. This cable can easily be damaged and hence needs to carry a low voltage to prevent harm to the user. A low voltage is only able to deliver a relatively low power without excessive current and hence the motor will not have adequate power to extend and retract the tubes in a quick and efficient manner. Furthermore, the use of a low voltage cable requires the provision of a power supply, which can be expensive.
  • the drive means is arranged to apply a force to cause relative movement of the first and second tubes in one direction against a bias acting, upon cessation of the applied force, to cause relative movement of the first and second tubes in the opposite direction.
  • the force applied by the drive means serves to cause the first and second tubes to retract against the bias, the bias then acting, upon cessation of the force, to extend the tubes.
  • the force applied by the drive means may cause the tubes to extend against the bias, the bias then acting, upon cessation of the force, to retract the tubes.
  • the drive means may be arranged to apply a first force to cause relative retraction of the tubes and a second force to cause extension of the tubes.
  • an operator for the drive means is disposed on the handle and arranged to be gripped by the user so as to be displaced in one direction, relative to the handle, as the cleaning tool is urged forwardly, and in the opposite direction as the cleaning tool is urged rearwardly.
  • the operator comprises a sleeve slidably mounted on the handle for displacement along a line which extends at 30 to 45° to the longitudinal axis of the tube assembly: in use, therefore, the operator is displaceable along a line generally parallel to the surface being cleaned.
  • the drive means comprises a pneumatic actuator arranged to be actuated by air pressure derived from the vacuum cleaner with which the wand is used.
  • This air pressure may be derived from the upstream side and/or downstream side of the motor/fan unit of the vacuum cleaner.
  • the pneumatic actuator may be arranged to be actuated by the negative air pressure present, in use, in the longitudinal airflow duct within the wand.
  • a wand for a vacuum cleaner comprising a handle and an elongate tube assembly extending from said handle, said tube assembly comprising first and second elongate tubes which are telescopically interconnected, and drive means connected between said tubes for varying the extension thereof, said drive means comprising a pneumatic actuator arranged to be actuated by air pressure derived from the vacuum cleaner.
  • a conventional canister vacuum cleaner comprises a body 10 housing a motor/fan unit 11 and a dust separator 12.
  • a wand 13 is connected to the body 10 by an elongate flexible hose 14.
  • the dust separator 12 serves to separate dirt and dust from an airstream which is drawn along the wand 13 and into the body 10 by the motor/fan unit 11.
  • the wand 13 comprises a tubular handle 15 of moulded plastics and an elongate metal tube 16 extending from the handle.
  • the outer end of the tube 16 is connected to a floor cleaning head 18 via an extension tube 17, which can be removed to shorten the wand for compact storage.
  • the tubes 16,17 may be telescopically interconnected and provided with latching means to permit the wand to be set to a length suitable for the cleaning task in hand.
  • the handle 15 is grasped by the operator and used to propel the cleaning tool 18 over the surface to be cleaned, usually with a reciprocating to and fro movement.
  • FIG. 2 of the drawings there is shown a wand in accordance with this invention, in which like parts with the wand of Figure 1 are given like reference numerals.
  • the lower tube 17 has its upper end sealingly and telescopically mounted inside the lower end of the upper tube 16 for movement between fully extended and fully retracted positions.
  • a pneumatic actuator 19 is disposed on the exterior of the wand and comprises a cylinder 20 mounted at its upper end to the upper tube 16 and a ram or piston 21 slidingly mounted inside the cylinder 20 and fixed at its lower end to the lower tube 17.
  • a compression spring 22 is also disposed on the exterior of the wand and is connected at its upper and lower ends respectively to the upper and lower tubes 16,17.
  • the interior of the cylinder 20 is connected by a flexible duct 24 to a valve assembly 23 disposed on a rearward portion 26 of the handle 15 which extends at 30 to 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the tubes 16,17 in a direction which, in use, extends substantially horizontal to the surface being cleaned, as shown.
  • valve assembly 23 comprises a sleeve 25 which is slidably mounted on the portion 26 of the handle 15 for movement between a rearward position ( Figure 3) and a forward position ( Figure 4).
  • the forward and rearward movements of the sleeve 25 are limited by respective annular stop elements 28,29 disposed at spaced apart positions on the portion 26 of the handle 15.
  • a passage 27 extends radially through the wall of the sleeve 25 adjacent its distal end.
  • the outer end of the passage 27 is connected to the duct 24 which extends from the pneumatic actuator 19.
  • the inner end of the passage 27 is arranged to register with an aperture 30 formed in the wall of the portion 26 of the handle 15 when the sleeve 25 is in its rearward position ( Figure 3).
  • An internal bore 31 extends axially through the wall of the sleeve 25 from its proximal end, the opposite end of the bore 31 connecting with the passage 27.
  • the user holds the wand by grasping the sleeve 25 of the valve 23 and energises the vacuum cleaner to cause an airflow F through the wand.
  • the sleeve 25 slides rearwardly to the position of Figure 3, thereby causing the inner end of the passage 27 in the sleeve to register with the aperture 30 in the wall of the portion 26 of the handle 15 and connecting the sub-atmospheric pressure inside the wand to the interior of the pneumatic cylinder 20 via the duct 24.
  • the proximal end of sleeve 25 seals against the rear stop element 29 to close the duct 31 and to prevent any loss of suction in the passage 27.
  • the reduced pressure inside the cylinder 20 draws the ram 21 of the pneumatic actuator 19 inwardly against the bias of the spring 22 to pull the lower tube 17 into the upper tube 16, thereby shortening the wand.
  • the pneumatic cylinder 20 and the compression spring 22 would preferably be integrated into the tubular wand construction rather than forming separate components mounted on the exterior of the telescopic suction tube. It is envisaged that the pneumatic cylinder 20 and the compression spring 22 could be mounted concentrically with the tubes 16, 17.
  • the wand includes means for locking the tubes 16, 17 in one or more selected positions between their fully extended and contracted positions: the user can then use the wand in conventional manner, with the wand locked in a desired extension.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Electric Vacuum Cleaner (AREA)
EP20050257082 2004-11-22 2005-11-17 Tuyau de succion téléscopique pour aspirateur Not-in-force EP1661502B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0425626A GB0425626D0 (en) 2004-11-22 2004-11-22 Wand assemblies for vacuum cleaners

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1661502A2 true EP1661502A2 (fr) 2006-05-31
EP1661502A3 EP1661502A3 (fr) 2010-05-12
EP1661502B1 EP1661502B1 (fr) 2012-09-12

Family

ID=33548638

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20050257082 Not-in-force EP1661502B1 (fr) 2004-11-22 2005-11-17 Tuyau de succion téléscopique pour aspirateur

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1661502B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN1781438B (fr)
GB (1) GB0425626D0 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010096217A1 (fr) * 2009-02-18 2010-08-26 Sami Souid Aspirateur déployable
EP2130474A3 (fr) * 2006-07-31 2010-09-22 Husqvarna UK Limited Collecteur de débris
DE102016117850A1 (de) 2016-09-22 2018-03-22 Miele & Cie. Kg Teleskoprohrvorrichtung für einen Staubsauger, Staubsauger und Verfahren zum Ausfahren einer Teleskoprohrvorrichtung
EP3551021A4 (fr) * 2016-12-06 2020-07-29 Ningbo Beari Electric Co Ltd Appareil pour nettoyage par aspiration

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109310253B (zh) * 2016-05-30 2021-02-05 阿尔弗雷德·卡赫欧洲两合公司 吸尘器和用于运行吸尘器的方法
CN109909209A (zh) * 2019-04-15 2019-06-21 广西职业技术学院 一种便携式全自动青苔清理装置

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001065992A1 (fr) 2000-03-07 2001-09-13 Eunsung Electronics Co., Ltd Dispositif d'entrainement automatique d'une rallonge de tuyau d'aspiration pour aspirateur menager

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2030706T3 (es) * 1987-06-03 1992-11-16 Carl Froh Rohrenwerk Gmbh & Co Tubo de aspiracion telescopico de un aspirador de polvo.
DE4402835C2 (de) * 1994-01-31 1997-09-18 Aeg Hausgeraete Gmbh Teleskopierbares Saugrohr mit elektrischer Leitung
DE10059052A1 (de) * 2000-11-28 2002-06-06 Froh House Tech Gmbh & Co Kg Teleskopierbares Staubsauger-Saugrohr
GB2383257B (en) * 2001-12-21 2005-08-10 Dyson Ltd Cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001065992A1 (fr) 2000-03-07 2001-09-13 Eunsung Electronics Co., Ltd Dispositif d'entrainement automatique d'une rallonge de tuyau d'aspiration pour aspirateur menager

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2130474A3 (fr) * 2006-07-31 2010-09-22 Husqvarna UK Limited Collecteur de débris
WO2010096217A1 (fr) * 2009-02-18 2010-08-26 Sami Souid Aspirateur déployable
DE102016117850A1 (de) 2016-09-22 2018-03-22 Miele & Cie. Kg Teleskoprohrvorrichtung für einen Staubsauger, Staubsauger und Verfahren zum Ausfahren einer Teleskoprohrvorrichtung
EP3551021A4 (fr) * 2016-12-06 2020-07-29 Ningbo Beari Electric Co Ltd Appareil pour nettoyage par aspiration

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1781438B (zh) 2011-08-10
EP1661502B1 (fr) 2012-09-12
CN1781438A (zh) 2006-06-07
EP1661502A3 (fr) 2010-05-12
GB0425626D0 (en) 2004-12-22

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