GB2522456A

GB2522456A - Canister vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB2522456A
Application number: GB1401244.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Anthony Denny Bassett; Zhang Chengling
Original assignee: Hoover Ltd
Current assignee: Hoover Ltd
Priority date: 2014-01-24
Filing date: 2014-01-24
Publication date: 2015-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 2034-01-24
Also published as: CN104799761A; EP2898808B8; EP2898808A1; GB2522456B; GB201401244D0; CN104799761B; EP2898808B1

Abstract

A canister vacuum cleaner comprises a body 11 having means 26 for separating and collecting dirt and dust that is drawn into the cleaner by a motor and fan unit 25 disposed in the body 11, and a rigid tubular wand 10 connected to a body 11 of the cleaner via an elongate flexible hose 12, the tubular wand 10 having a handle portion 14 for grasping by the user, a motor 20 in the body 11 for driving a wheel 19 disposed on the underside of the body 11. A switch 15 is provided on the handle 14 for selectively operating the motor 20 to drive the body 11 across the surface being cleaned. The body 11 may be moved forwardly and rearwardly. The position of the body 11 can thus be precisely controlled to avoid possible obstruction to movement of the body 11 by contact or collision with furniture and other objects, and the possible damage and annoyance associated with such events. Also the need for the user to pay vigilant attention to the movement of the body 11 is negated.

Description

Canister vacuum Cleaner This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner of the so-called canister type, which are sometimes known as drum or cylinder vacuum cleaners.

Canister vacuum cleaners are well known and comprise a cleaning head provided at the end of a rigid tubular wand that is connected to a body of the cleaner via an elongate flexible hose. The body of the cleaner contains means for separating and collecting the dirt and dust that is drawn into the cleaner by a motor and fan unit disposed in the body. Generally, the head of the canister cleaner is detachable, so that the user can lit other kinds of cleaning tools to the wand.

One advantage of canister cleaners is their flexibility, because a user can attach different heads and tools for different tasks. Another advantage is their maneuverability, because the wand can reach under furniture and the hose makes it very easy to clean stairs and vertical surfaces.

In use the body is propelled by tension on the hose as the user moves the wand. In this manner the body follows the user as the cleaning process proceeds around a room or progresses from room to room.

In order to avoid possible obstruction to movement of the cleaner body by contact or collision with furniture and other objects, and the possible damage and annoyance associated with such events, vigilant attention to the movement of the body is essential.

Solutions to the above-mentioned problem have been suggested in patent literature, but most of these solutions have involved complex drive and control systems.

Typically, such systems incorporate a sensor of detection of tractive force in the hose to control forward movement of the cleaner body, detection of the momentary entry angle of the hose to the cleaner body to determine the direction of the hose tractive force, and a control system whereby the detected values give rise to forward drive and/or steering of the cleaner body. Typically, propulsion is achieved by a pair of rear whees, driven by an electric motor in response to signals from the control system, and steering is achieved by way of a front-mounted castor wheel, the direction of which is set by a servomotor. In addition, control systems have also, in some cases, incorporated means for the detection of obstacles, typically by ultrasonic transducers.

One such drive and control system that provides all of the above-mentioned features is disclosed in EP0319700 (Siemens). EP0572930 discloses a similar system in which reversing is initiated when an obstacle is detected or when the tractive pulling force on the hose and the user begins to move towards the cleaner body. US 2007/0061 997 discloses a canister cleaner with forward movement controlled in dependence on the tractive pulling force applied to the hose. Forward drive of the cleaner body stops when a grip switch on the handle of the wand is released.

WO2007/096048 also discloses a canister cleaner whereby forward drive is controlled in dependence on the presence or absence of tractive pulling force applied to the hose. Directional control of the cleaner body is effected by two wheels which are independently driven, enabling the cleaner to follow an arcuate course when non-central hose tension is detected.

We have now devised a canister vacuum cleaner which alleviates the above-mentioned problem but which is less complex and costly than the above-mentioned solutions.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a canister vacuum cleaner comprising a body having means for separating and collecting dirt and dust that is drawn into the cleaner by a motor and fan unit disposed in the body, and a rigid tubular wand connected to a body of the cleaner via an elongate flexible hose, the tubular wand having a handle portion for grasping by the user, a motor in the body portion for driving a wheel disposed on the underside of the body, wherein a switch is provided on the handle portion for selectively operating the motor to drive the body across a floor surface on which the body is located.

In use the user is able to precisely control the position of the body without the need for complicated sensing arrangements to detect tractive forces applied to the hose.

Preferably the switch can be actuated to move the body forwards and/or backwards.

Preferably the switch comprises a central position in which the motor is not actuated, a forward position in which the body moves forwards and a rearward position in which the body moves rearwards.

Preferably, when the motor is not actuated, the driven wheel is at least partially resistant to rotation by tractive forces applied to the hose as the body is pulled across the floor.

Preferably the body solely comprises one driven wheel, said driven wheel preferably being disposed centrally intermediate opposite sides of the underside of the body.

Preferably the driven wheel is disposed adjacent a rear end of the body.

Preferably, means such as wheels or skids are provided on opposite sides of said driven wheel for engaging the floor surface so as to maintain lateral stability of the body.

Preferably said means such as wheels or skids are disposed in line with the axis of rotation of the drive wheel: This allows the cleaner to rotate without causing the drive whee to drag across the floor surface when the motor is not actuated.

Preferably the front of the body comprises means such as a wheel or skid for engaging the floor surface so as to maintain longitudinal stability of the body.

Preferably said floor surface engaging means at the front of the body comprises a whee which is arranged to castor about an axis normal to said floor surface.

In one embodiment the switch is connected to the motor by a conductor which extends along said hose.

In an alternative embodiment the switch is connected to the motor via a wireless link.

A battery is preferably provided for sending signals from the switch to the motor.

Preferably the wheel is connected to the motor by a reduction gearbox.

Preferably the motor is disposed radially of the driven wheel and comprises an axis of rotation which extends perpendicular to the rotational axis of the driven wheel.

Preferably the motor is a low voltage DC motor.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by a way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a canister vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic rear view of the cleaner of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic bottom view of the cleaner of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan view of a handle porton of the wand of the cleaner of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a schematic side view of an alternative embodiment of canister vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, there is shown a canister vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention comprising a tubular wand 10 which is connected at its proximal end to a body 11 via an elongate flexible hose 12. The distal end of the wand 10 is arranged for selectively coupling to detachable cleaning tools and heads e.g. 13, perhaps via one or more extension tubes.

The body 11 comprises a motor and fan unit 25 which draws air into the body 11 along the hose 12. A separation unit 26 separates dirt and dust from the airflow entering the body 11 along the hose 12.

The proximal end of the wand 10 comprise a handle portion 14 for grasping by the user. A switch 15 is provided on the upper surface of the handle portion 14 of the wand 10. The switch 15 comprises an actuator 16 which is slidable forwardly and rearwardly from the central position in which it is shown. The actuator 16 is normally biased into the central position. The switch 16 is connected to the body 11 via elongate conductors (not shown) which extend along the hose 12 either axially or helically. In the latter case, the conductors may form a helical strengthening rib for the hose 12. The proximal end of the conductors comprise a portion 17 which is connected to a control circuit 18 disposed inside the body 11 of the cleaner.

A driven wheel 19 is disposed at the rear of the body 11 of the cleaner on the underside thereof. The driven wheel 19 is disposed centrally between opposite sides of the body 11 of the cleaner. The driven wheel 19 is connected to a low-voltage DC motor, such as a 24 volt DC motor rated at 26 Watts. The motor 20 is connected to the driven wheel 19 by a gearbox 23, which is arranged to reduce the rotational speed of the wheel compared with the rotational speed of the motor 20. It is envisaged that the motor 20 will rotate approximately 1800 rpm and that the gearbox 23 will correspondingly drive the wheel 19 at approximately 100 rpm. The gearbox 23 is also arranged to turn the wheel about a rotational axis which extends perpendicular to the rotational axis of the motor 20. The position of the motor 20 in front of the wheel 19 provides a compact arrangement which can easily fit within the limited space available in a canister cleaner. The motor 20 is connected to the control circuit 18.

A pair of wheels 21 are disposed on respective opposite sides of the driven wheel 19 at the rear of the body 11 of the cleaner on the underside thereof. A wheel 22 is also disposed at the front of the body 11 of the cleaner in front of the driven wheel 19. The front wheel 22 is free to caster about a vertical axis. It will be appreciated that the arrangement of the wheels 19, 21 and 22 serve to stably support the body 11 of the cleaner on the floor surface being cleaned.

In use, the user grasps the handle 14 of the wand 10 to move the cleaning head 13 forwardly and rearwardly over the floor surface being cleaned. The gearing of the driven wheel 19 is such that the driven wheel 19 provides some resistance to the body 11 being pulled freely across the floor by forces applied to the hose 12. As the wand 10 moves further away from the body 11, the user simply slides the switch actuator 16 forwardly to cause the motor 20 to drive the wheel 19: this causes the body 11 to move forwardly, with the direction of travel being determined by the direction of the pulling force applied to the hose 12 by the user. The front wheel 22 turns about its vertical axis to steer the body 11 in the appropriate direction. Similarly, the body 11 can be driven rearwardly by sliding the switch actuator 16 rearwardly from its central position.

Referring to Figure 5 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative embodiment of canister vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention and like parts are given like reference numerals. In this embodiment, the conductors between the switch 15 and the body 11 are omitted and are replaced by a wireless link. In that regard, the switch iSis connected to an RF transmitter 27 located on the wand 10. A battery 28 is provided for powering the transmitter. In use, when the actuator 16 is moved forwardly or rearwardly, the transmitter 27 sends an appropriate wireless RF signa to a FIF receiver 29 located in the body 11. The receiver 29 incorporates a control circuit which connected to the motor 20, so that the motor 20 drives the body 11 forwardly or rearwardly according to the received signal.

A canister vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention is simple and inexpensive in construction yet enables the position of the body 11 to be precisely controlled to avoid possible obstruction to movement of the body 11 by contact or collision with furniture and other objects, and the possible damage and annoyance associated with such events. Also the need for the user to pay vigilant attention to the movement of the body 11 is negated.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A canister vacuum cleaner comprising a body having means for separating and collecting dirt and dust that is drawn into the cleaner by a motor and fan unit disposed in the body, and a rigid tubular wand connected to a body of the cleaner via an elongate flexible hose, the tubular wand having a handle portion for grasping by the user, a motor in the body portion for driving a wheel disposed on the underside of the body, wherein a switch is provided on the handle portion for selectively operating the motor to drive the body across a floor surface on which the body is located.
2. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, in which the switch can be actuated to move the body forwards and/or backwards.
3. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claims 1 or 2, in which the switch can be actuated to move the body backwards.
4. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the switch comprises a central position in which the motor is not actuated.
5. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 4 (as appended to claim 2), in which the switch comprises a forward position in which the motor is actuated to move the body forwardly.
6. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 4 (as appended to claim 3) or claim 5, in which the switch comprises a rearward position in which the motor is actuated to move the body rearwardly.
7. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, arranged such that when the motor is not actuated, the driven wheel is at least partially resistant to rotation by tractive forces applied to the hose as the body is pulled across the floor.
8. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the body solely comprises one driven wheel.
9. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, in which, said driven wheel is disposed centrally intermediate opposite sides of the underside of the body.
ID. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the driven wheel is disposed adjacent a rear end of the body.
11. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, in which means such as wheels or skids are provided on opposite sides of said driven wheel for engaging the floor surface.
12. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claims 10 or 11, in which the front of the body comprises means such as a wheel or skid for engaging the floor surface.
13. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12, in which said floor surface engaging means at the front of the body comprises a wheel which is arranged to castor about an axis normal to said floor surface.
14. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the switch is connected to the motor by a conductor which extends along said hose.
15. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14, in which the switch is connected to the motor via a wireless link.
16. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12, in which the wireless link comprises a battery and a transmitter in the wand for sending signals from the switch to the motor.
17. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the wheel is connected to the motor by a reduction gearbox.
18. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the motor is a low voltage motor.
19. A canister vacuum cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the motor is disposed radially of the driven wheel and comprises an axis of rotation which extends perpendcular to the rotational axis of the driven wheel.
20. A canister vacuum cleaner substantially as herein described with reference to Figures ito 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.