US3088157A

US3088157A - Vacuum cleaner cover

Info

Publication number: US3088157A
Application number: US86924A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gilbert E Aguilar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-02-03
Filing date: 1961-02-03
Publication date: 1963-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 1980-05-07

Description

May 7, 1963 G. E. AGUILAR VACUUM CLEANER COVER Filed Feb. 3, 1961 FIG.3.

FIG.4.

GILBERT E. AGUILAR IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

3,088,157 VACUUM CLEANER CGVER Gilbert E. Aguilar, 1150 23rd St, Manhattan Beach, Calif. Filed Feb. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 86,924 6 Claims. (Cl. C. 15-323) This invention pertains to a cover and tool holding unit for association with canister type Vacuum cleaners.

This design provides a low cost unit that fits over any canister type vacuum cleaner, protecting the exterior surface of the cleaner as well as providing a means for holding tools and other accouterments used with a vacuum cleaner. It includes a shaped, flexible sheet member that fits over the housing of the cleaner, and is provided with apertures adapted to receive the shanks of the tools used in connection with the cleaner. A protective sheet element secured to the outer cover is disposed back of each of these apertures for preventing the tool from contacting the surface of the cleaner casing when it is inserted or removed. Pockets also may be provided in the cover for receiving vacuum cleaner filter bags.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a low cost cover unit for protecting and beautifying a vacuum cleaner tank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unit for conveniently holding tools, disposable bags or other accessories used in connection with a vacuum cleaner.

A further object of this invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner cover of extremely simple yet strong construction that is easily manufactured and used.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cover of this invention as used in connection with a vacuum cleaner,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 including transverse illustration of the tool-receiving apertures and the pockets in the cover,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 further illustrating the tool-receiving arrangement in longitudinal section, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing a modified form of protective element in association with the tool receiving aperture.

As shown in FIG. 1 the device of this invention is in the form of a cover 1 adapted to fit over the top of the housing 2 of a conventional vertical tank type vacuum cleaner. Such a vacuum cleaner normally will include a base portion 3 and will be supported on wheels 4.

The cover 1 may be constructed of relatively thin flexible material such as vinyl sheet. Preferably it is given a cup-like contour so that it will fit down over the top of the vacuum cleaner housing, and the side portions 5 will hang more or less vertically along the sides of the tank. However, the sheet may be made slightly oversize to permit the cover to be utilized with vacuum cleaner tanks of various dimensions and proportions while still being somewhat complementary to the tank with which it is associated.

At the top of the vacuum cleaner tank is a hose 6 and a carrying handle 7, access to which is obtained through an opening 8 in the top 9 of the cover. A flap 10 is associated with aperture 9 and usable to partially cover the opening in certain installations.

In many such vacuum cleaners the hose connection is on the side rather than the top as in the version illustrated. Therefore, a substantially -U-shaped recess 11 is included in the side of cover 1 so that it can be associated with such models and has universal applicability.

On opposite sides of the cover there may be provided 3,088,157 Patented May 7, 1963

ice pockets

12 and 13 for receiving and holding disposable vacuum cleaner bags 14, or other objects as desired. These pockets may be cemented or stitched to the cover along their marginal edges 16, or in the case of plastic material, may be connected by heat welding in the conventional manner.

Intermediate the pockets along the sides of the cover are provided

apertures

17, 18 and -19 which may be circular in shape. Three of these openings are illustrated in the drawing, although more or less could be included as desired. These openings are adapted to receive the shanks 20 of the various cleaning tools 21 used in connection with the vacuum cleaner. The enlarged end portion of the tool will preclude its falling down through the opening with which it is associated so that it will be supported on the periphery of the opening through the cover. The shanks, however, hang down inside generally along the Wall of the canister.

In order to protect the surface of the vacuum cleaner, it is preferred to include additional sheet elements 23, 24- and 25 immediately in back of the

openings

17, 18 and 19. These elements may be rectangular in pattern and secured at their vertical side edges to the inner surface of the cover by any suitable means such as stitching, electronic welding, or cementing. By being wider than the openings, while attached close to them, each of the small auxiliary sheets defines a flexible trough-like device appropriately dimensioned to loosely receive the shank of a vacuum cleaner tool.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 these protective auxiliary sheet members are constructed of a resilient material such as foam plastic or sponge rubber. Therefore, despite any rough handling as the tools are inserted or removed from the

openings

17, 18 and 19, and even if the tools are struck by some exterior object, the shanks of the tools will not mar the finish of the tank surface. Furthermore, the

sheets

23, 24 and 25 provide a shock absorbing effect that can protect the tools as well, .to prevent damage from impact loads.

While the spongy material of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 generally is preferred because of the added protection it affords, it is possible also to use relatively thin sheet material for this purpose, such as element 26 shown in FIG. 4. This may be, for example, the same material as utilized for the cover. While the sheet 26 has no resilient effect and thus has no particular resistance to impact, it will effectively preclude scratching of the canister surface as the tools are used. Its particular advantage lies in the extreme low cost of providing such an element on the interior of the cover.

Thus the arrangement of this invention is very simple to manufacture and requires no skill or extra precautions to install and use. Nevertheless, it efiectively protects the vacuum cleaner tank while at the same time providing convenient means for holding and retaining the various tools and accessories that are necessary with a vacuum cleaner.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vacuum cleaner cover comprising a flexible sheet member having a substantially horizontal top portion and substantially vertical side portion, whereby said cover is adapted to fit over the top and sides of a vacuum cleaner tank, the side portion of said cover having at least one aperture therethrough for receiving the shank of a vacuum cleaner tool thereby to removably support such a tool, and a protective member disposed behind said aperture in said sheet member, said protective member comprising a substantially trough like element having its axis extending substantially vertically with respect to said side portion of said cover, and having vertical side portions attached to the interior surface of the said side portion of said cover adjacent said opening therethrough.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 in which said protective member is constructed of resilient sponge material.

'3. A cover fora vacuum cleaner comprising a relatively flexible sheet member having a substantially cup-shaped contour and adapted to fit over the top and sides of a vacuum cleaner tank, said member having at least one aperture through the vertical Wall thereof; and an additional sheet member, said additional sheet member having a duality of vertically extending side edge portions attached to the interior surface of said cover on either side of said aperture, and having a width of greater dimension than the width of said aperture for thereby permitting the shank of a vacuum cleaner tool to be inserted' through said opening while precluding said shank from contacting the surface of a vacuum cleaner with which said cover is associated.

4. In combination with a tank type vacuum cleaner having a housing, a protective device for said housing comprising a substantially cup-shaped sheet member dimensioned to fit loosely over the top and sides of said housing, the top of said sheet member having an aperture therethrough for permitting access to the top of said housing, at least one aperture through the side portion of said sheet member adapted to receive the shank of a vacuum cleaner tool, and an additional sheet member interposed between said first mentioned sheet and said housing inwardly of and adjacent said aperture, said additional sheet member having substantially vertical side edges secured to the inner surface of said sheet on either side of said aperture, and a greater Width dimension than that of said aperture thereby to define a path for said shank.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 in which said sheet members are of plastic material, and said side edges of said additional sheet are attached to said inner surface by heat welding.

' 6. A device as recited in claim 4 including in addition at least one pocket located on the exterior side portion of said cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,268,364 White et a1 Dec. 30, 1941 2,779,047 Osborn Jan. 29, 1957 2,825,087 Meyerhoefer Mar. 4, 1958 2,935,760 Martinec May 10, 1960

Claims

1. A VACUUM CLEANER COVER COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE SHEET MEMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TOP PORTION AND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SIDE PORTION, WHEREBY SAID COVER IS ADAPTED TO FIT OVER THE TOP AND SIDES OF A VACUUM CLEANER TANK, THE SIDE PORTION OF SAID COVER HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE THERETHROUGH FOR RECEIVING THE SHANK OF A VACUUM CLEANER TOOL THEREBY TO REMOVABLY SUPPORT SUCH A TOOL, AND A PROTECTIVE MEMBER DISPOSED BEHIND SAID APERTURE IN SAID SHEET MEMBER, SAID PROTECTIVE MEMBER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY TROUGH-LIKE ELEMENT HAVING ITS AXIS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID SIDE PORTION OF SAID COVER, AND HAVING VERTICAL SIDE PORTIONS ATTACHED TO THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE SAID SIDE PORTION OF SAID COVER ADJACENT SAID OPENING THERETHROUGH.