EP2961303A1

EP2961303A1 - Household vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: EP2961303A1
Application number: EP14715999.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Adriano Mencarini; Luca ERRICO; Hasuike Makio
Original assignee: Indesit Co SpA
Current assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Priority date: 2013-03-01
Filing date: 2014-02-25
Publication date: 2016-01-06
Also published as: ITTO20130169A1; WO2014132189A1; CN105208906A

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprises a vacuum cleaner body (2) having a front (F) and a back (B) identifying a main axis (X) of the vacuum cleaner body (2), as well as an upper part (T), a lower part (L) and two opposite sides (S), to the vacuum cleaner body of the (2) being associated a plurality of wheels (5, 6) rotatable about respective substantially horizontal axes (Z₅, Z₆), to enable the vacuum cleaner body (2) to be towed on wheels. The wheels (5, 6) of the plurality are arranged in such a way as to enable the vacuum cleaner body (2) to be towed on wheels in a generally reclined position, in which the lower part (L) of the vacuum cleaner body (2) generally faces a floor (FL) on which all the wheels (5, 6) of the plurality rest, and in a generally raised or erected position, in which only a pair of rear wheels (6) of the plurality (5, 6) rest on the floor (5). The vacuum cleaner body (2) is equipped with a handle (7), accessible at aforesaid front (F), the handle (7) being connected to the main body (2) via a towing device (9) capable to assume a retracted inoperative position and at least one extracted or extended operating position. The plurality of wheels (5, 6) includes at least one front caster wheel (5), comprising a wheel support (5a) that is freely rotatable about an axis (Y) generally transverse to the rotation axis (Z5) of the corresponding wheel (5) and the towing device includes a single extractable or telescopic tow-bar (9), which extends longitudinally substantially in the direction of the main axis (X) of the vacuum cleaner body (2) in a substantially central and equidistant position with respect to the sides (S ) of the vacuum cleaner body (2).

Description

"Household vacuum cleaner"

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners for domestic use and has been developed with particular reference to vacuum cleaners having a vacuum cleaner body to which there are associated a plurality of wheels rotatable about respective substantially horizontal axes, to enable the vacuum cleaner body to be towed on wheels.

Background art

Vacuum cleaners of the type indicated are generally known. In some solutions the wheels of the plurality are arranged in such a way as to enable the vacuum cleaner body to be towed on wheels both in a generally reclined position, in which the lower part of the vacuum cleaner body generally faces a floor on which all the wheels of the plurality rest, and in a erected position, in which only a pair of rear wheels rest on the floor.

In some cases the vacuum cleaner body is also equipped with a handle graspable by a user, connected to the vacuum cleaner body by a towing device, capable to assume a retracted inoperative position and at least one extracted operative position. In this way, with the towing device in the extracted position, the vacuum cleaner body can be towed on the wheels, to move it from one place to another, also during its use.

The towing device typically includes a pair of parallel tow-bars, connected together at the upper end by a handle graspable by a user. This solution ensures a certain robustness and stability of the towing device, but it is generally uncomfortable for the user when he, with the vacuum cleaner body in the raised position, must divert the direction of towing: in order to perform this operation in an easy way, in fact, the handle must be necessarily gripped substantially centrally, in order to avoid weight unbalances.

Aim and summary of the invention

The present invention essentially proposes to provide a vacuum cleaner of compact structure and improved design, in order to facilitate the displacements of the vacuum cleaner and enhance the comfort and ergonomics of use, in a simple and economical way.

These and still other aims, which will become clearer in the following, are achieved, according to the present invention, by a vacuum cleaner having the characteristics indicated in the attached claims. The claims form an integral part of the technical teaching provided in relation to the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Further purposes, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of a non limiting example, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to the invention;

- Figures 2 and 3 are a front elevational view and a side elevational view, respectively, of a main body of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 1, in greater scale, in a reclined position;

- Figure 4 is a view from below of the vacuum cleaner body of Figures 2-3, in a greater scale;

- Figure 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body of Figures 2-4, in an erected position, and

- Figures 6, 7 and 8 are perspective views of the vacuum cleaner body of Figures 2-5, in an erected position, with a towing device in three different conditions of use.

Description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The reference to "one embodiment" in this description is intended to indicate that a particular configuration, structure, or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the terms "in one embodiment" and the like, that may be present in different points of the present description, do not necessarily refer all to one and the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular configurations, structures or characteristics may be combined in any appropriate way in one or more embodiments. The references used hereinafter are for sakes of convenience only and do not define the scope of the embodiments.

It is also pointed out that in the following of the present description only the elements useful for the understanding the invention will be described, taking for granted that the vacuum cleaner according to the invention comprises all the elements known per se for its operation.

In figure 1 it is represented in a schematic way a vacuum cleaner according to a possible embodiment of the present invention, indicated as a whole with 1. The vacuum cleaner 1 comprises a vacuum cleaner body 2 with a joint 3 for a suction lance 4, which in the exemplified non-limitative example includes a flexible tube 4a, a rigid tube 4b - preferably a modular one - and a suction head 4c. In Figure 1, for simplicity's sake, a supply cable of the vacuum cleaner 1 has not been represented. Moreover, the vacuum cleaner can be provided with its own rechargeable supply battery.

Referring particularly to Figures 2-4, the vacuum cleaner body 2 has a front F and a back B, that identify a dimension of maximum bulk and a main axis of the body itself, indicated with X in Figures 3-4, the body 2 has, then, an upper part T and a lower part L, generally opposite to each other, as well as lateral sides S. The body 2 can be formed, for example, by a number of parts of plastic material molded or thermoformed. To the body 2 are associated a plurality of wheels 5, 6, rotatable about respective substantially horizontal axes Z₅, Z₆ (Figure 3), to enable the vacuum cleaner body to be towed on wheels.

The wheels 5, 6 are arranged in such a way as to enable the body 2 to be towed on wheels in a generally reclined position, as shown for example in Figures 2-3, in which the lower part L of the body 2 generally faces a floor F on which all the wheels 5, 6 rest, and in a generally erected or raised position, visible for example in Figures 6-8, in which only a pair of rear wheels 6 rest on the floor. Note that the terms "erected or raised position " are meant to indicate any positions of the vacuum cleaner body 2 intermediate to that of Figures 2-3, on the one side, and that of Figures 6-8, on the other side.

The vacuum cleaner body 2 is equipped with a handle 7, accessible at the front F, said handle 7 being connected to the body 2 via a towing device, capable to assume a retracted inoperative position and at least one extracted or extended operating position.

According to a feature of the invention, and as shown in Figure 4, the plurality of wheels 5, 6 include at least one front caster (or pivoting) wheel 5, comprising a wheel support 5a that is freely rotatable about an axis Y generally transverse or perpendicular to the rotation axis Z₅ of the corresponding wheel 5.

According to a further feature of the invention, the aforesaid towing device includes a single extractable or telescopic tow-bar, indicated with 9 only in figures 7-8, which extends longitudinally substantially in the direction of the main axis of the vacuum cleaner body 2, in a position substantially central or equidistant with respect to the sides S of the body 2. Thanks to these characteristics, weight unbalances of the vacuum cleaner body 2 are avoided on the occasion of deviations of direction of towing on wheels, that the user performs occasionally operating on the central handle 7, when the tow-bar 9 is in the extracted or extended position. The presence of at least one front caster wheel 5 ensures the easy and precise directionality of the vacuum cleaner body 2 when the tow-bar 9 is in the extracted or extended position, for example by simply performing a pull of the suction lance 4.

The presence of a single tow-bar makes easier the passage thereof between the retracted and extracted positions, also halving the risk of jams during the passage between the two afore said positions. It also avoided the need to provide two separate guides or lateral housing for the two tow-bars typical of the prior art, to the advantage of the compactness of the vacuum cleaner body.

In a not illustrated embodiment, a single front caster wheel 5 may be provided, whose support 5a is mounted in a substantially central position with respect to the sides S of the body 2. In a different embodiment, such as the one exemplified in the drawings, the plurality of wheels 5, 6 instead includes a pair of front caster wheel 5, each comprising one said wheel support 5a, with the single tow-bar 9 which extends longitudinally in an intermediate position with respect to the two front caster wheels 5. This feature allows to achieve an improved distribution of the weight of the vacuum cleaner body 2 on the floor, and hence a reduced load acting on the caster wheels 5, to advantage of an easier directionality of the same wheels.

In one embodiment, such as the represented one, the wheel supports 5a of the front caster wheels 5 are mounted at respective housings or seats defined in a wall of the lower part L of the vacuum cleaner body 2, whereas the rear wheels, having a greater diameter, with their respective axes Z₆ in a stationary position, are mounted at the two sides S of the body 2, in a generally rear area of the latter, the distance between the front wheels 5 being smaller than the distance between the rear wheels 6. Obviously, there are different possible positions of the wheels 5, 6, without prejudice to the possibility of allowing towing on wheels of vacuum cleaner body 2 in the said reclined and or raised or erected positions (for example rear wheels having a small diameter might be associated to the lower part L and/or to front caster wheels, even of larger diameter, could be associated to the sides S).

In a preferred embodiment, the handle 7 has a handle body which includes a gripping front portion 7a and a base rear portion 7b, for connection to the single tow-bar 9, those portions being generally transverse to the tow-bar 9 and spaced apart from each other in the direction of the main axis X. To the base portion 7b is operatively associated, in a central area thereof and in a position generally opposite to the tow-bar 9, a lock/release push-button 10 , being part of a commutable mechanism, prearranged to enable passage of the tow-bar 9 between a retracted position and at least one extracted or extended position, both being stable, i.e., where the tow-bar is locked in the relative position.

In this way, in the retracted stable position of the tow-bar 9 - as shown for example in figure 6 - the gripping front portion 7a of the handle 7 may be grasped by a user, to enable the vacuum cleaner body 2 to be seized and carried in a raised condition with respect to the floor FL, i.e., substantially in the manner of a suitcase and without the use of the wheels 5-6 for the displacement of the vacuum cleaner 1. On the other hand, in at least one stable extracted or extended position, as that shown in Figures 7 and 8, the vacuum cleaner body 2 can be freely towed on the rear wheels 6, in the manner of a "trolley", both when the vacuum cleaner 1 is not working (that is, simply moved from one place to another), and when the vacuum cleaner 1 is actively used in an operating way by a user. As mentioned, in such conditions, the inclination of the body 2 with respect to the floor may be different from that of Figures 7-8, the rear wheels 6 always resting on the floor.

Preferably, the handle body 7 has an overall annular shape, with the portion 7a preferably generally curved, in order to facilitate a centered grip of its handle portion 7a by a user.

The afore said commutable mechanism, to which the push-button 10 belongs, is not shown here in detail, as it can be of any known type, for example, in the field of towing devices for suitcases, and especially configured to enable, through a button, the achievement of at least a stable retracted and an extended position of an extractable or telescopic tow-bar.

In a preferred embodiment, the gripping front portion 7a and the base rear portion 7b of the handle 7 are misaligned or offset from each other with respect to the direction of the main axis X, such a that the push-button 10 is directly at sight and operable by a user when the handle 7 is looked at frontally in the direction of the main axis X. This characteristic can be appreciated from Figures 2 and 3, where it might be seen how the push-button 10 results directly at sight and operable, when the vacuum cleaner body 2 is viewed from the front, to advantage of the ease of use of the push-button itself: of course, similar considerations are worth for when the body 2 is in the substantially raised or erected position (Figures 6-8) and irrespective of the fact that the tow-bar 9 is in the retracted or in the extracted position.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment the portions 7a and 7b of the handle 7 are misaligned in such a way that the gripping portion 7a is closer to a horizontal middle plane of the vacuum cleaner body 2 than the base portion 7b. This feature can be appreciated from figure 3, wherein the afore said horizontal middle plane can be identified by the axis indicated with X. This positioning is particularly advantageous when the vacuum cleaner body must be moved in a raised condition above the floor FL (that is, without the aid of the wheels 5, 6) and with the tow-bar in the stable retracted position (that is, in the manner of a suitcase), since it allows to achieve a distribution relatively balanced of the weight of the body 2 with respect to the gripping portion 7a.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, in the front F of the vacuum cleaner body 2 a recess 11 is defined, for housing the handle 7, when the tow-bar 9 is in the respective stable retracted position. The recess 11 and the handle body are prearranged in such a way that the gripping portion 7a is graspable by a user also when the tow-bar 9 is in the respective stable retracted position, to advantage of ergonomics and ease of transfer of the vacuum cleaner body 2. As is well clear for example from Figures 3 and 4, between the upper end of the recess 1 1 and the gripping portion 7a there is enough space for the insertion of a hand.

Preferably, the recess 11 is generally inclined from the front F of the body 2 towards the lower part L, in order to follow the shape of the generally inclined handle body 7, with its portions 7a and 7b misaligned from each other. Always preferentially, the recess 11 and the handle body are prearranged in such a way that, with the tow-bar 9 in the respective stable retracted position, the handle 7 does not project beyond the maximum bulk of the front F of the vacuum cleaner body 2 (see for example Figures 3-4), to advantage of the compactness of the latter.

In a preferred embodiment, such as the exemplified one, the single tow- bar 9 is capable of assuming a retracted stable position, as shown in Figure 6, a stable position of maximum extension or extraction, as shown in Figure 8, and at least one stable position of intermediate extraction or extension, visible in Figure 7. In this way, the user is also given the possibility to vary the length of the tow- bar 9, and therefore of the corresponding distance of the handle 7 from the body 2, depending on his needs and preferences of towing on wheels and/or of use of the vacuum cleaner 1. In such a case, preferably, the single tow-bar 9 comprises at least three longitudinally extended tubular components, assembled in a telescopic manner. This characteristic can be appreciated for example in Figure 5 in which 9a, 9b, 9c designates the three afore said tubular components mounted in a telescopic manner. In the example, the component 9a, with greater dimension of cross-section, is a fixed component mounted on the vacuum cleaner body 2 within which the component 9b, having an intermediate dimension of cross-section, is slidingly mounted, preferably with interposition of a spacer 12a. The third component 9c, having a smaller dimension of cross-section, is slidingly mounted within the component 9b, preferably with interposition of a relative spacer 12b and at the proximal end thereof the handle 7 is fixed. In Figure 6 is partially visible a through seat 7bi of the base portion 7b of the handle body, for the positioning of the push-button 10, as well as an intermediate body 13 axially hollow, for the connection of the component 12c to the handle 7, also defining a respective shaped seats for the push- button 10. Still in figure 6 14 and 15 designate a control rod, axially displaceable by pressing the push- button 10, and a respective return spring, belonging to the afore said commutable mechanism, used to enable the passage of the tow-bar 9 between the retracted stable position and the extracted stable positions. As mentioned, however, the afore said mechanism may be of any known design.

In a preferred embodiment, such as the illustrated one, the tow-bar 9 is mounted substantially at the lower part L of the vacuum cleaner body 2, as shown for example in Figure 5. This positioning is particularly advantageous since, in this way, the housing of the bar 9 does not detract substantially useful space inside the vacuum cleaner body 2. For this purpose, in one embodiment, in a wall which belongs to the lower part L of the body 2 (preferably the same wall defining the housings in which the supports 5a of the caster wheels 5 are mounted) a longitudinally extended recess is directly defined, indicated with 16 in Figure 5, for the housing and the fixing of a fixed component of the single tow-bar 9, here represented by the component 9a. In the exemplified embodiment, the above mentioned recess 16, which is in a substantially equidistant position from the sides S, is at least partly closed longitudinally by a covering element 17, from a proximal end of which there raises a collar 17a for the positioning of the component 9a, to advantage of the overall stability of the towing device. Always referring to the non-limiting example shown, a closed housing for a distal end portion of the component 9a, axially aligned with the recess 16, is also defined directly in the lower part of the body 2, in the area indicated with 18.

It is clear that numerous variants are possible for the man skilled in the art to the vacuum cleaner described as an example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.

In case of use of a single caster front wheel 5, the covering element 17 may fully define a housing or seat for the positioning of the corresponding support wheel 5 a.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising a vacuum cleaner body (2) having a front (F) and a back (B) identifying a main axis (X) of the vacuum cleaner body (2), as well as an upper part (T), a lower part (L) and two opposite sides (S), to the vacuum cleaner body (2) there being associated a plurality of wheels (5, 6) rotatable about respective substantially horizontal axes (Z₅, Z₆), to enable the vacuum cleaner body (2) to be towed on wheels,

wherein the wheels (5, 6) of the plurality are arranged in such a way to enable the vacuum cleaner body (2) to be towed on wheels in a generally reclined position, in which the lower part (L) of the vacuum cleaner body (2) generally faces a floor (FL) on which all the wheels (5, 6) of the plurality rest, and in a generally erected position, in which only a pair of rear wheels (6) of the plurality rest on the floor (5),

wherein the vacuum cleaner body (2) is equipped with a handle (7), accessible at the aforesaid front (F), the handle (7) being connected to the vacuum cleaner body (2) via a towing device (9) capable to assume a retracted inoperative position and at least one extended operative position,

wherein the plurality of wheels (5, 6) includes at least one front caster wheel, comprising a wheel support (5a) that is freely rotatable about a respective axis (Y) generally transverse to the rotation axis (Z₅) of the corresponding wheel (5),

and wherein the towing device includes a single extractable or telescopic tow-bar (9), which extends longitudinally substantially in the direction of the main axis (X) of the vacuum cleaner body (2) in a position that is substantially equidistant with respect to the sides (S) del vacuum cleaner body (2).

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the handle (7) has a handle body which includes a gripping front portion (7a) and a base rear portion (7b) for connection to the single tow-bar (9), the gripping front portion (7a) and the base rear portion (7b) being generally transverse to the single tow-bar (9) and spaced apart from each other in the direction of said main axis (X), the base portion (7b) having associated, in a central area thereof and in a position generally opposite to the single tow-bar (9), a lock/release push-button (10) of a commutable mechanism (10, 14, 15) prearranged to enable passage of the single tow-bar (9) between a stable retracted position and at least one stable extended position, in the stable extended position of the single tow-bar (9) the gripping front portion (7a) of the handle body being graspable to enable the vacuum cleaner body (2) to be grasped and carried in a raised condition with respect to the floor (FL).

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plurality of wheels (5, 6) includes a pair of front caster wheels (5), each comprising one said wheel support (5a), and wherein the single tow-bar (9) extends longitudinally in a position intermediate to the two front caster wheels (5).

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the gripping front portion (7a) and the rear base portion (7b) of the handle body are misaligned to each other with respect to the direction of the main axis (X) such that the lock/release push-button (10) is directly at sight and operable by a user when the handle (7) is looked at frontally in the direction of the main axis (X).

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 or claim 4, wherein the gripping portion (7a) and the base portion (7b) of the handle body are misaligned to each other with respect to the direction of the main axis (X) such that the gripping portion (7a) is closer to a horizontal middle plane of the vacuum cleaner body (2) than the base portion (7a).

6. The vacuum cleaner according to any of the preceding claims, wherein in the front (F) of the vacuum cleaner body (2) there is defined a recess (11) for housing the handle (7) when the single tow-bar (9) is in the respective retracted position, the recess (1 1) and the handle body being prearranged such that the gripping portion (7a) is graspable by a user also when the single tow-bar (9a) is in the respective stable retracted position, the recess (11) extending preferably generally inclined from the front (F) of the vacuum cleaner body (2) towards the lower part (L) thereof.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the recess (11) and the handle body are prearranged such that, with the single tow-bar (9) in the respective stable retracted position, the handle (7) does not project beyond the maximum bulk of the front (F) of the vacuum cleaner body (2).

8. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the single tow-bar (9) is capable of assuming a retracted stable position, a stable position of maximum extension and at least one stable position of intermediate extension.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the single tow-bar (9) comprises at least three longitudinally extended components (9a, 9b, 9c) assembled in a telescopic manner.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the handle body has an overall annular shape.

11. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the single tow-bar (9) is mounted substantially at the lower part (L) of the vacuum cleaner body (2).

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 11, wherein in the lower part (L) of the vacuum cleaner body (2) there is defined a longitudinally extended cavity (16) for housing and fastening a fixed component (9a) of the single tow-bar (9).

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the cavity (14) is at least partly closed longitudinally by a covering element (17), from a proximal end of the covering element (17) there raising a collar (15a) for the positioning of the fixed component (9a).