GB2409633A

GB2409633A - Sprung hook for stowing a vacuum cleaner nozzle

Info

Publication number: GB2409633A
Application number: GB0414531A
Authority: GB
Inventors: In-Chang Seo
Original assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2003-12-30
Filing date: 2004-06-29
Publication date: 2005-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 2024-06-29
Also published as: US20050138754A1; GB2409633B; SE526276C2; GB0414531D0; DK200400896A; SE0401645D0; SE526276C8; KR20050070266A; CN1636493A; DE102004031374A1; FR2864436A1; SE0401645L; AU2004202554A1

Abstract

A nozzle storage unit 100 for a vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaner body provided with a hole, a hook holder 110 disposed on or adjacent to the nozzle 10, a hook 120 pivotally disposed on the hook holder for engagement with the hole, for securing the nozzle in place, and a resilient member 130 for supporting and biasing the hook to a predetermined position for engagement with the hole, wherein the hook pivots on the hook holder when subjected to an external force and returns to the predetermined position when the external force ceases by action of the resilient member. The hook holder may comprise arms 111 extending to cover opposite sides of the hook, a respective pivot pin 113 extending from the inner side of each arm towards the hook, a rotation restricting member 115 for restraining the rotational movement of the hook, and a resilient-member seating hole 117 formed in the rotation restricting member to receive a first end of the resilient member. The resilient member may be a torsion spring.

Description

1 2409633 Nozzle Unit Storage Unit for a Vacuum Cleaner This invention

relates to a vacuum cleaner, and in particular to a nozzle unit storage unit for storing the nozzle unit in engagement with the vacuum cleaner, thereby facilitating maintenance of the vacuum cleaner As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a known vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle unit 10 having a protruding hook 11 disposed at a predetermined position. The nozzle unit 10 is configured and arranged to draw in dust-carrying air, from a surface to be cleaned, by a suction force. One end of an extension pipe 20 is attached to the nozzle unit 10 to guide the dust-carrying air from the nozzle unit to a cleaner body 30 having a dust bag (not shown) attached to the other end of the extension pipe, thereby to collect dust that is separated from the drawn-in air in a dust collector (not shown). A motor (not shown) is used to generate the suction force. Both the dust collector and the motor are located inside the cleaner body 30. A hook opening 31 is formed on the underside of the cleaner body 30, as shown, or in a side wall thereof (not shown).

The extension pipe 20 includes first and second extension pipe sections 22 and 24, being adjustable in length through a telescopic connection therebetween. A handle 26, which is attached to the extension pipe section 24, has a switch on the upper side for selective application of power by movement between on and off positions. An airflow control switch, also disposed on the upper side of the handle 26, is provided for adjustment of the rate of air flow from the nozzle unit 10 to the cleaner body 30. A flexible hose 28 is disposed between the handle 26 and the cleaner body 30, to guide the air and dust discharged through the handle 26. The hook 11 and the hook opening 31 have complementary shapes for easy engagement.

When a user applies power to the motor in the cleaner body 30 by turning on the power switch on the handle 26, the motor commences to rotate at high speed, thereby generating a strong suction force. Accordingly, dustcarrying air is drawn, from the surface to be cleaned, into the cleaner body 30 by the suction force. The dust-carrying air flows through the nozzle unit 10 and the extension pipe 20, and is directed towards the interior of the cleaner body 30. More specifically, it is directed to the dust collector bag of the cleaner body 30, where the dust is separated from the air and is collected.

When the vacuum cleaner is not in use, the user usually keeps the vacuum cleaner body in a vertical orientation, as shown in Figure 1, so that the user can engage the hook I 1 in the hook opening 31, thereby securely connecting the nozzle unit 10 to the cleaner body, so that the vacuum cleaner can be stored with the extension pipe 20 and the flexible hose 28 in an upright position.

However, the protruding hook 11 (shown in the detail view of Figure 2), and in particular its neck 12, is prone to breakage by inadvertent application of external force during storage, for example when the vacuum cleaner collapses through carelessness of the user during storage.

An aim of the invention is to provide an improved nozzle unit storage unit which is robust so as to withstand external impacts.

The present invention provides a nozzle unit storage unit for a vacuum cleaner, the storage unit comprising: a cleaner body provided with a nozzle-unit-engaging hole; a hook holder disposed on the nozzle unit; a hook disposed pivotally on the hook holder for engagement with the nozzleunit-engaging hole, for securing the nozzle unit in place; and a resilient member for resiliently supporting and biasing the hook holder to a predetermined position for engagement with the nozzle unit engaging hole, wherein the hook pivots on the hook holder when subjected to an external force, and returns to the predetermined position, when the external force ceases, by action of the resilient member.

The hook may be disposed either on the nozzle unit itself or on an extension pipe, such that it is capable of pivoting when an external force is exerted. Accordingly, when an external force acts upon the hook when it is engaged with the nozzle-unit-engaging hol of the cleaner body, the hook pivots. The resilient member returns the hook to the predetermined position, when the external force is no longer exerted, by action of the resilient member.

In a preferred embodiment, the hook holder comprises: hook holder arms which extend to cover the opposite sides of the hook; a respective pivot pin extending from the inner side of each of the hook holder arms towards the hook; a rotation-restricting member for restraining the rotational movement of the hook; and a resilient-member-seating hole formed in the rotation-restricting member to receive a first end of the resilient member.

Preferably, the hook comprises: a body; a respective pivot hole formed in the body to complement each of the pivot pins; a resilient-membersupporting hole formed substantially in the centre of the body for receiving a second end of the resilient member; and a stopper projecting from the upper side of the body such that, pivotal movement of the hook is restricted by contact of the hook with the stopper.

The resilient member may be a torsion spring.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure I is a perspective view of a conventional vacuum cleaner in the stored position, the cleaner having a conventional nozzle unit storage unit; Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of a protruding hook formed on the conventional nozzle unit of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a nozzle unit storage unit constructed according to the present invention; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a nozzle unit storage unit of Figure 3.

In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for indicating similar elements in the different Figures. The matters defined in the description, such as the detailed construction and elements thereof, are only provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out without reliance on some of those matters or by equivalents of the structures that may perform the described functions. Also, well- known functions lO or constructions are not described in detail, so as to avoid obscuring the invention in

description of such unnecessary detail.

Figure 3 shows a nozzle unit storage unit 100 for a vacuum cleaner, which storage unit hooks the nozzle unit 10 (see Figure 1) to the cleaner body 30, so that the vacuum cleaner can be stored with the extension pipe 20 and the flexible hose 28 in an upright orientation when not in use, as described above.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, a connector C is provided for connection between the nozzle unit 10 and the extension pipe 20. The connector C comprises a hook holder l l O. with which a hook 120 is pivotably engageable. The hook 120 is pivotable about a pivot axis of the hook holder 1 10, and a spring 130 is provided to bias the hook.

As shown in Figure 3, the hook holder 110 comprises oppositely-disposed arms 111 protruding laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector C, so as to cover the opposite sides of the pivotable hook 120. A respective pivot pin 1 13, aligned with the pivot axis, extends inwardly from the inner side of each arm 111. A rotation-restricting member 1 15 is formed between the holder arms 1 13 so as to restrict rotational movement of the hook 1 20, an aperture 117 being formed in the rotation-restricting member for receiving a first end of the spring 130, as shown.

Although the nozzle unit storage unit 100 is disposed on the connector C, a person having ordinary skill will appreciate that the nozzle unit storage unit can be located in any other suitable position between the nozzle unit 10 and the extension pipe 20.

The hook 120 is configured for fitting with the hook opening 31 of the cleaner body 30 (see Figure 1), and is pivotally disposed on the hook holder 110 by engagement with the oppositely-disposed pivot pins 113. The spring 130 is disposed between hook holder and the hook 120, and provides a biasing force tending to keep these elements separated. The spring 130 acts to return the hook 120 to the initial position shown in Figure 4, so as to recover from a force that rotates the hook, when that force is no longer exerted.

The hook 120 comprises a hook body 121; pivot holes 123 formed on the hook body corresponding to the positions of the pivot pins 113; a springsecuring hole 125, formed approximately in the centre of the hook body, to receive a second end 132 of the spring 130, the first end 131 of which is received in the aperture 117; and a stopper 127 projecting from one side of the hook body, so as to restrict rotational movement of the hook by contact with the rotation-restricting member 115 during the pivotal movement of the hook. The spring-securing hole 125 comprises a separation-preventing projection 126 for preventing the end 132 of the spring 130 from moving out of the spring-securing hole. The spring 130 is disposed about a seating projection 129, which is coaxial with the pivot holes 123.

The stopper 127 of the hook 120 restricts the movement of the hook by surface contact with the rotation-restricting member 115 of the hook holder 110. Accordingly, the hook 120 is prevented from pivoting beyond a predetermined degree, thereby preventing the hook popping out of the holder 110.

The spring 130 is a torsion spring, the first end 131 of which is inserted into the aperture 117 of the rotation-restricting member 115, and the second end 132 of which fits into the spring-securing hole 125 of the hook body 121, with the first and second ends maintained approximately at 90 relative to each other when the spring is in the rest position.

Because the hook 120 is pivotable about the pivot pins 1 13 to a predetermined degree, S the hook of the nozzle unit storage unit 100 is unlikely to suffer breakage, even when the vacuum cleaner collapses or is overturned from its upright position by external impact or due to carelessness of the operator during storage.

As described above, the hook 120, which hooks the nozzle unit 10 to the cleaner body 30, does not easily suffer breakage by unexpected impact, thanks to resilient deformability of the hook.

The foregoing preferred embodiment and advantages are described as merely exemplary, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatus. Also, the description of the embodiment of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims, and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon achieving a complete understanding of the principles of the present invention.

Claims

Claims I. A nozzle unit storage unit for a vacuum cleaner, the storage

unit comprising: a cleaner body provided with a nozzle-unit-engaging hole; a hook holder disposed on the nozzle unit; a hook pivotally disposed on the hook holder for engagement with the nozzle-unit-engaging hole, for securing the nozzle unit in place; and a resilient member for resiliently supporting and biasing the hook holder to a predetermined position for engagement with the nozzle-unit-engaging hole, wherein the hook pivots on the hook holder when subjected to an external force, and returns to the predetermined position, when the external force ceases, by action of the resilient member.
2. A storage unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hook holder comprises: hook holder arms which extend to cover the opposite sides of the hook; a respective pivot pin extending from the inner side of each of the hook holder arms towards the hook; a rotation-restricting member for restraining the rotational movement of the hook; and a resilient-memberseating hole formed in the rotation-restricting member to receive a first end of the resilient member.
3. A storage unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hook comprises: a body; a respective pivot hole formed in the body to complement each of the pivot pins; a resilient-member-supporting hole formed substantially in the centre of the body for receiving a second end of the resilient member; and a stopper projecting from the upper side of the body such that, pivotal movement of the hook is restricted by contact of the hook with the stopper.
4. A storage unit as claimed in any one of claims I to 3, wherein the resilient member is a torsion spring.