EP4110151B1

EP4110151B1 - Latch mechanism for a cleaning device

Info

Publication number: EP4110151B1
Application number: EP21708353.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ella FENWICK
Original assignee: Techtronic Cordless GP
Current assignee: Techtronic Cordless GP
Priority date: 2020-02-26
Filing date: 2021-02-23
Publication date: 2024-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 2041-02-23
Also published as: GB2592394A; WO2021170987A1; EP4110151A1; GB202002721D0

Description

This invention relates to a handle assembly for a cleaning device, and in particular to a user-graspable handle of the type used to lift and/or carry a cleaning device.
It is common for a cleaning device to incorporate one or more parts that are detachable from a main body of the device. For example, it is well known for a suction cleaner to provide a detachable dirt cup so as to allow a user to remove the dirt cup from the body of the device when it requires emptying of dirt. In a common configuration, floor-standing suction cleaners may include a detachable unit which provide at least one of a dirt cup for storing dirt, a separator for removing dirt from an air flow through the unit, one or more filters for removing fine dirt particles from the air flow, and/or a motor unit for generating an air flow through the unit and through the body of the cleaning device when the unit is connected to the floor-standing base.
It is preferable for such detachable parts to be locked to the body of the device during use, to avoid unwanted disconnection between components. Preferably, the locking mechanism is user-operable, without requiring the use of tools to remove the detachable parts from the base unit.
Latching mechanisms for securing components of cleaners are well known. However, many latching mechanisms provide complex arrangements of parts which may become misaligned during operation, or worn over time due to repeated frictional engagement of moving parts.
US 2017/265702 describes a vacuum cleaner comprising a main body having a locking recess. EP2823744 describes a vacuum cleaner, with a dust collection container.
The present invention seeks to provide a user-operable latch mechanism for a cleaning device. The mechanism is both simple to operate, robust so as to minimise the risk of damage or wear over time, and effective in securing a removable part of the cleaning device to the body of the cleaning device.
According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a latch mechanism for a cleaning device, the latch mechanism being provided on a portion of the cleaning device for releasable engagement with a keep, the latch mechanism comprising:

a frame supporting a latch member and an actuating assembly, and providing an end wall;
the latch member being moveable linearly along an axis X between an extended position and a retracted position, the latch member being biased by a first spring towards its extended position; and
the actuating assembly providing a pair of contact members positioned on opposing sides of the axis X, each moveable between respective initial positions spaced away from the axis X in a direction towards the axis X to respective actuating positions abutting respective engagement surfaces of the latch member (106) and being biased by a pair of second springs to their initial positions; wherein the latch mechanism is configured such that a head of the latch member extends beyond the end wall of the frame when the latch member is in its extended position, and
wherein a contact portion of each contact member abuts an engagement surface of the latch member, each engagement surface being disposed at an angle offset from the axis X such that movement of each contact member against each engagement surface in a direction transverse to the axis X causes movement of the latch member towards its retracted position so as to retract the head of the latch member to a position level with or recessed from the end wall of the frame, and
characterised in that each contact member is biased by its own respective second spring.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a latch assembly for a cleaning device, comprising a latch mechanism according to the first aspect, and a part defining a keep with which the head of the latch member is engageable when the latch member is in its extended position.
According to a third aspect of the invention we provide a cleaning device comprising a base unit and a detachable unit connectable to the base unit, and a latch assembly according to the second aspect, wherein one of the latch mechanism and keep is disposed on the base unit and the other of the latch mechanism and keep is disposed on the detachable unit,
configured such that the detachable unit is securable in position relative to the base unit by engagement of the latch member with the keep, and such that disengagement of the latch member with the keep enables the detachable unit to be removed from the base unit.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention we provide a combination of a cleaning device and a support stand for supporting a portion of the cleaning device when it is not in use, providing a latch assembly according to the second aspect, configured such that one of the latch mechanism and keep is disposed on the cleaning device and the other of the latch mechanism and keep is disposed on the support stand, such that the cleaning device is securable to the support stand by engagement of the latch member with the keep, and releasable from the support stand by disengagement of the latch member from the keep.
Further features of the above aspects of the invention are described in the appended claims.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning device embodying the present invention;
Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of a cleaning device showing a detachable unit for the device docked, and undocked, respectively, relative to a base unit,
Figure 4 is a diagram of a latch mechanism shown from the front,
Figure 5 is a diagram of the latch mechanism of Figure 5, shown in cross-section from the rear, in its extended position,
Figure 6 is a diagram of the latch mechanism of Figure 5, shown in its retracted position, and
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a combination of a cleaning device and a support stand.

With reference to Figure 1, a cleaning device 10 is provided. In embodiments, and as shown, the cleaning device 10 is a suction cleaner. In general terms, the suction cleaner comprises an upright body 12 providing a steering handle 13 to allow a user to move and steer the device. The suction cleaner provides a floor head 16 defining a suction mouth for applying a suction force to a surface being cleaned, the suction force being generated by a motor disposed fluidly downstream of the suction mouth. The floor head 12 provides rollers (e.g. wheels) for moving the suction cleaner across a surface.
In embodiments, and as shown, the suction cleaner may be of the type generally known as an 'upright' cleaner, in which the upright body 12 is pivotally connected to the floor head 16. Such cleaners are typically used to clean a floor surface. In other embodiments, the suction cleaner may be of a canister type in which a separate handheld wand provides the suction mouth, and is connected to the body of the cleaner via a suction hose or the like, or a handheld type cleaner in which the motor, suction mouth, and handle are all provided in a compact handheld unit. In other embodiments, the cleaner may be a stick vac or pole vac type cleaner in which a suction wand is connected to the floor head at one end and to a handheld cleaning device at its other end.
In further embodiments, the cleaning device may be a carpet washer or floor-scrubbing device.
For simplicity, features of various embodiments will be described in the context of an upright suction cleaner, but it should be understood that the features described herein are applicable to any types of cleaning device, unless otherwise stated, and for cleaners configured to clean any type of surface.
In the example described, the cleaning device 10 is an upright suction cleaner having a base unit 18 and a detachable unit 14. The detachable unit 14 comprises an inlet for receiving a flow of air and entrained dirt from the base unit 18 (via the suction mouth provided), a separation assembly 26 for removing dirt particles from an incoming air flow received through the inlet, an outlet for cleaned air, and a dirt cup 24 for collecting dirt particles removed from the air flow by the separation assembly 26. In the embodiment shown, the outlet from the detachable unit 14 is covered by a filter, which is itself removable from the unit for cleaning by a user.
In embodiments, the separation assembly 26 comprises at least one cyclonic separator. In embodiments and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, for example, the separation assembly 26 comprises a first cyclonic separator defined within a chamber 22, wherein dirt is separated from the air flow via cyclonic circulation of the air flow, and via a shroud providing a mesh filter, and is collected in the dirt cup 24 provided at the base of the chamber. In embodiments, a second separation stage is provided, downstream of the first. For example, a second cyclonic separator (e.g. formed in a frustoconical chamber substantially within the first stage separator, with a centred vortex-finder outlet for cleaned air) may be provided for separating relatively finer dirt particles from the air stream, downstream of the mesh filter of the first stage.
In embodiments, the cleaning device 10 is provided with a mains power connection. In other embodiments, the cleaning device 10 includes a battery pack which may be rechargeable in situ on the device, or may be removable for recharging or otherwise replacing the battery pack.
In broad terms the latch assembly of the invention comprises a latch mechanism 100 as described below in detail, and a part defining a keep 30 with which the latch mechanism 100 engages. In embodiments, and as shown in Figures 1 to 3, when docked on the base unit 18, the detachable unit 14 is received within a recess 20 formed in the upright body 12 of the cleaning device. A docking portion 36 on the base unit 18 provides a surface against which a base 34 of the detachable unit 14. When the detachable unit 14 is docked on the base unit 18, the latch mechanism 100 aligns with the keep 30. In its natural configuration, the latch mechanism 100 is in its engaged configuration, in which a head 108 of a latch member 106 part engages with the keep 30 - so long as the two are aligned. When the latch mechanism 100 is actuated so as to retract the latch member 106, the head 108 withdraws from the keep 30 to a position level with an end wall 120 of a frame 102 of the latch mechanism 100, to a position in which the head 108 is disengaged from the keep 30. In this state, a user may move the detachable unit 14 from its docked position relative to the base unit 18.
When the detachable unit 14 is docked on the base unit 18, the outlet of the detachable unit 14 is in fluid communication with an air flow path formed in the base unit 18, leading to a motor, and subsequently to an exhaust outlet provided by the base unit 18.
It should be understood that other configurations of cleaner may be used with the latch mechanism 100 of the present invention, and that the components of the base unit and detachable unit may differ from those described herein. For example, the detachable unit may comprise a motor and a power source (such as a battery pack) for powering the motor, so that the detachable unit may be used in isolation from the base unit.
In more detail, and with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the drawings, we describe the latch mechanism 100. In embodiments and as previously described, the latch mechanism 100 is provided on a portion of the cleaning device 10 - in this case, on the detachable unit 14 - for releasable engagement with a keep 30, which is in this example provided on the base unit 18 of the cleaning device 10. Of course, these parts may be provided in a different configuration in which the latch mechanism 100 is disposed on the base unit 18, and the keep 30 is provided by the detachable unit 14.
The latch mechanism 100 broadly comprises a frame 102 supporting a latch member 106 and an actuating assembly. The latch member 106 is moveable linearly along an axis X between an extended position (in which a head portion 108 of the latch member 106 extends beyond an end wall 120 of the frame 102 (illustrated in Figures 4 and 5) and a retracted position (illustrated in Figure 6). The latch member 106 is biased towards its extended position by first biasing mechanism 114. In the embodiments shown, the biasing is provided by a helical spring, under compression, but alternatively the biasing could be provided by other suitable means (e.g. a spring under extension, or other suitable types of spring as are known in the art).
The actuating assembly provides contact member 104 moveable between an initial position and an actuating position. A contact portion 118 of the contact member 104 abuts an engagement surface 112 of the latch member 106 as the contact member 104 moves to its actuating position. The engagement surface 112 is provided on a centre part 110 of the latch member 106. In some embodiments, there may be little or no engagement between these two parts when the contact member 104 is in its initial position, and the two may come into contact as the contact member 104 moves to its actuating position.
In other embodiments, the parts stay in contact throughout, as the contact member 104 moves between its initial and actuating positons. Preferably, the contact member 104 is biased to its initial position by a second biasing mechanism 116. The second biasing mechanism 116 may be a helical spring (a compression spring), for example, but other suitable biasing means may be employed (such as extension springs, for example). In embodiments, and as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the biasing mechanism 116 includes a spring held between a first part 115a disposed on the contact member 104 (i.e. on its underside) and a second part 115b fixed relative to the frame 102, so that the first part 115a moves with the contact member 104 and the second part 115b remains fixed. In this way, the spring 116 compresses between the first and second parts 115a, 115b, as the contact member 104 moves towards its actuating position.
The engagement surface 112 of the latch member 106 is disposed at an angle α offset from the axis X, engagement surface 112 effectively lies across the path of movement of the contact member 104 and contact portion 118. Preferably, the engagement surface 112 is disposed at an angle α relative to the axis X between 15° and 75°, more preferably between 25° and 55°, and more preferably still between 30° and 45°. These angles have been found to provide the required smooth relative movement between the parts in contact, while the latch member 106 is under the biasing load of a suitable compression spring.
Since the latch member 106 itself is moveable lengthwise of the axis X, relative movement of the contact member 104 against the engagement surface 112 in a direction transverse to the axis X causes movement of the latch member 106. In this way, as the contact portion 118 pushes against the slope of the engagement surface 112, this causes relative movement of the latch member 106 towards its retracted position. In effect, the force moving the contact portion 118 against the engagement surface 112 causes relative movement 'down' the slope of the engagement surface 112. Since the contact member 104 moves between its initial position and its actuating position linearly along an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis X, this relative movement down the slope of the engagement surface 112 is achieved by movement of the latch member 106. As a result, the head 108 of the latch member 106 is retracted to a position level with or recessed from the end wall 120 of the frame 102. In doing so, the latch mechanism 100 is effectively released as the latch member 106 withdraws from the keep 30.
As shown in the Figures, the actuating assembly comprises a pair of contact members 104 positioned on opposing sides of the axis X. Each contact member 104 is moveable between respective initial positions spaced away from the axis X, in a direction towards the axis X (i.e. towards the centreline of the latch member 106) to respective actuating positions, during which movement the contact members 104 each abut a respective side of the latch member 106 at a respective engagement surface 112.
The contact members 104 are held within the frame 102 for linear sliding movement towards and away from each other, and are configured to be engaged and moved by the digits of a user. As shown in Figure 4, the contact portions 104 are adapted to be engaged by a thumb and finger(s) respectively of a hand of a user, so that the contact members 104 are movable from their initial positions to the actuating positions by the user moving their thumb and finger(s) towards one another. Each contact member 104 provides a ridge 105 at or towards an innermost edge (i.e. the edge closest to the X axis) which a user may grip and against which they may exert a force so as to move the contact portions towards their actuating positions.
In embodiments, the latch mechanism 100 has symmetry about its central axis (X), so that the latch member 106 is aligned with the X axis, and the actuating assembly comprises two contact members 104 disposed as a mirror image of each other either side of the X axis.
The contact portion 118 of each contact member 104 preferably provides a complementary surface lying parallel to that of its respective engagement surface 112. In other words, the contact portion 118 and engagement surface 112 are shaped so as to lie flat against one another in the same plane as they abut one another. In alternative embodiments, the contact portion 118 may be rounded, rather than provide a flat contact surface.
As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the frame 102 provides a guide formation 115 which extends in the direction aligned with the axis X, and the latch member 106 provides a base portion 113 adapted to slide relative to the guide formation 115 as the latch member 106 moves between its extended and retracted positions. An abutment portion 111 of the latch member 106 abuts against a portion of the guide formation 115 when the latch member 106 reaches its retracted position (i.e. as it moves from the extended position), to prevent further movement of the latch member 106 beyond that position. In embodiments, and as shown, the first biasing mechanism 114 may be provided within or adjacent to the guide formation 115.
Alongside the latch mechanism 100, the latch assembly provides a part defining a keep 30 with which the head 108 of the latch member 106 is engageable when the latch member 106 is in its extended position, as described above. The keep 30 provides a recess adapted to receive a portion of the head 108 of the latch member 106. When the latch mechanism 100 is aligned with the keep 30 so that the head 108 of the latch member 106 engages the keep 30, movement of the contact members 104 from their initial positions to their actuating positions cause movement of the contact members 118 against the respective engagement surfaces 112 of the latch member 106, which in turn cause the latch member 106 to move against its bias from its extended position to its retracted position in which the head 108 of the latch member 106 disengages the keep 30. From this retracted position, releasing the contact portions from their actuating position causes them to move back to their initial positions, under the biasing effect of the second biasing mechanism 116. This in turn allows the latch member 106 to move under its own bias (i.e. under the force of the first biasing mechanism) to its extended position, in which the head 108 of the latch member 106 once again engages the keep (so long as the latch mechanism 106 is aligned with the keep 30).
Of course, the latch mechanism 100 and keep 30 are no longer aligned - such as in the case where the detachable unit 14 has been undocked from the base unit 12 while the latch was unengaged, the latch member 106 simply returns to its extended position. In that case, the latch would need to be triggered again in order to re-dock the detachable unit 14. In embodiments, the detachable unit 14 may be slid back into its docked position without the latch being withdrawn manually. To enable this, the head portion 108 of the latch member 106 provides a flat front surface 103a and a sloped rear surface 103b. The flat front surface 103a ensures that the head portion 108 of the latch member 106 cannot be disengaged from the keep 30 simply by pulling the detachable unit 14 outwardly from the base unit 12, since the flat part 103a of the head portion 108 abuts against a wall of the keep. However, if the user pushes the detachable unit 14 into its docking position, the rear surface 103b of the head portion 108 abuts against a front panel 28 of the cleaner body, forming a front wall of the keep 30. Since the rear surface 103b of the head is chamfered, to form a sloping surface, contact between that surface and the front panel 28 of the cleaner body causes the latch member 106 to move to its retracted position, against the biasing force of the first biasing mechanism 114. In that state, the latching mechanism 100 may be slid back into alignment with the keep 30, in which position the latch member 106 moves back under its biasing force to its extended position, once again engaging the keep 30, thus latching the detachable unit 14 in position.
In an alternative embodiment, with reference to Figure 7, the latch assembly may be applied to a combination of a cleaning device 10 and a support stand 200 for supporting a portion of the cleaning device 10 when it is not in use, providing a latch assembly as previously described. In this way, one of the latch mechanism 100 and keep 30 is disposed on the cleaning device 10, and the other of the latch mechanism 100 and keep 30 is disposed on the support stand 200. The cleaning device 10 is then securable to the support stand 200 by engagement of the latch member 106 with the keep 30 as the cleaning device 10 is positioned in a docked position relative to its support stand 200. The cleaning device 100 is then releasable from the support stand 200 by disengagement of the latch member 106 from the keep 30. Typically, the latch mechanism 100 is provided on the cleaning device 10, and the keep 30 is provided on the support stand 200, but in other embodiments those parts may be provided in the alternative configuration of the latch mechanism 100 being located on the stand 200, and the keep 30 on the cleaning device 10.
When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.
Although certain example embodiments of the invention have been described, the scope of the appended claims is not intended to be limited solely to these embodiments.

Claims

A latch mechanism (100) for a cleaning device (10), the latch mechanism (100) being provided on a portion of the cleaning device (10) for releasable engagement with a keep, the latch mechanism (100) comprising:
a frame (102) supporting a latch member (106) and an actuating assembly, and providing an end wall (120);

the latch member (106) being moveable linearly along an axis X between an extended position and a retracted position, the latch member (106) being biased by a first spring (114) towards its extended position; and

the actuating assembly providing a pair of contact members (104) positioned on opposing sides of the axis X, each moveable between respective initial positions spaced away from the axis X in a direction towards the axis X to respective actuating positions abutting respective engagement surfaces of the latch member (106), and being biased by a pair of second springs (116) to their initial positions;

wherein the latch mechanism (100) is configured such that a head of the latch member (106) extends beyond the end wall (120) of the frame (102) when the latch member (106) is in its extended position, and

wherein a contact portion (118) of each contact member (104) abuts an engagement surface (112) of the latch member (106), each engagement surface (112) being disposed at an angle offset from the axis X such that movement of each contact member (104) against each engagement surface (112) in a direction transverse to the axis X causes movement of the latch member (106) towards its retracted position so as to retract the head (108) of the latch member (106) to a position level with or recessed from the end wall (120) of the frame (102)

characterised in that each contact member (104) is biased by its own respective second spring (116).
A latch mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein the contact member (104) moves between its initial position and its actuating position linearly along an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis X.
A latch mechanism (100) according to any preceding claim wherein the or each engagement surface (112) is disposed at an angle α relative to the axis X, such that 15° ≤ α ≤ 75°.
A latch mechanism (100) according to claim 3 wherein 25° ≤ α ≤ 55° OR
wherein 35° ≤ α ≤ 45°.
A latch mechanism (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact portion (118) of the or each contact member (104) provides a complementary surface parallel to that of its respective engagement surface (112).
A latch mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the frame (102) provides a guide formation (115) oriented along the axis X, and the latch member (106) provides a base portion (113) adapted to slide relative to the guide formation (115) as the latch member (106) moves between its extended and retracted positions,
and optionally an abutment portion (111) of the latch member (106) abuts against a portion of the guide formation (115) when the latch member (106) reaches its retracted position as it moves from the extended position, to prevent further movement of the latch member (106) beyond that position.
A latch mechanism (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each contact member (104) is configured to be engaged and moved between its initial and actuating positions by the digits of a user.
A latch assembly according to claim 7, where dependent on claim 3, wherein the contact members (104) are adapted to be engaged by a thumb and finger(s) respectively of a hand of a user, so that the contact members (104) are movable from their initial positions to the actuating positions by the user moving their thumb and finger(s) towards one another.
A latch mechanism (100) according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the or each contact member (104) provides a ridge against which a user may exert a force so as to move the contact portion (118) towards its actuating position.
A latch assembly for a cleaning device (10), comprising a latch mechanism (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and a part defining a keep (30) with which the head of the latch member (106) is engageable when the latch member (106) is in its extended position,
and optionally the keep (30) provides a recess (20) adapted to receive a portion of the head (108) of the latch member (106).
A latch assembly according to claim 10, configured such that when the latch mechanism (100) is aligned with the keep (30) so that the head of the latch member (106) engages the keep (30), movement of the or each contact member(s) (104) from its initial to its actuating position causes movement of the contact member (104) against the respective engagement surface of the latch member (106), which in turn causes the latch member to move against the bias from the first spring (114) from its extended position to its retracted position in which the head of the latch member disengages the keep.
A latch assembly according to claim 11, wherein releasing the or both contact portion(s) (118) from its respective actuating position causes the contact portion(s) (118) to move under its associated biasing force of its respective second spring(s) (116) to its initial position, and causes the latch member (106) to move under the bias of its first spring (114) to its extended position, in which the head of the latch member (106) engages the keep if the latch mechanism (100) is aligned with the keep.
A cleaning device (10) comprising a base unit (18) and a detachable unit (14) connectable to the base unit (18), and a latch assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein one of the latch mechanism (100) and keep is disposed on the base unit (18) and the other of the latch mechanism (100) and keep is disposed on the detachable unit (18), configured such that the detachable unit (18) is securable in position relative to the base unit (18) by engagement of the latch member (106) with the keep, and such that disengagement of the latch member (106) with the keep enables the detachable unit (18) to be removed from the base unit (18)
and optionally the latch mechanism (100) is located on the detachable unit (18) and the keep (30) is provided by the body (12).
A cleaning device (10) according to claim 13 , wherein the cleaning device (10) is a suction cleaner, and wherein:
the base unit (18) provides a floor head (12) with a suction mouth for applying a suction force to a surface to be cleaned, the suction force being generated by a motor disposed fluidly downstream of the suction mouth; and

the detachable unit (18) providing at least one of a separation assembly for removing dirt particles from an air flow between the suction mouth and motor, a dirt cup for collecting separated dirt particles, a filter, and a motor.
A combination of a cleaning device (10) and a support stand (200) for supporting a portion of the cleaning device (10) when it is not in use, providing a latch assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 11, configured such that one of the latch mechanism (100) and keep (30) is disposed on the cleaning device (10) and the other of the latch mechanism (100) and keep (30) is disposed on the support stand (200), such that the cleaning device (10) is securable to the support (200) by engagement of the latch member (106) with the keep (30), and releasable from the support stand (200) by disengagement of the latch member (106) from the keep (30).