US3683449A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprising a floor contacting cleaning unit including a member movable over a floor being cleaned and including a suction producing motor-fan unit, a handle movable on this unit between operating and storage positions, cooperating catch means on the unit and a catch on the handle that are in engagement when the handle is in its storage position to retain the handle in the storage position and means for releasing the engagement of the catch means and catch in moving the handle from storage to operating position in which at least one of the catch means and catch is yieldable to permit forcible disengagement by force applied to the cleaning unit and the handle structure with the result that the yieldable construction permits this forcible disengagement without damage to the vacuum cleaner parts involved.

Description

United States Patent Nordeen [54] VACUUM CLEANER Erwin E. Nordeen, Saint Paul, Mich.

[731 Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation [72] Inventor:

[22] Filed: May 19, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 38,806 [52] US. Cl ..l5/4l0 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47l 9/32 [58] Field of Search ..15/361,410 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,031,710 5/1962 Huening, Jr. ..l5/410 X 2,684,271 7/1954 Brace 15/410 X 3,199,138 8/1965 Nordeenni ..l5/410 X 3,512,207 5/1970 Ettridge 15/361 2,881,465 4/1959 Duff ..15/4l0 X Primary Examiner-Walter A. Scheel Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Att0rney-James S. Nettleton, Thomas E. Turcotte, Burton H. Baker, Gene A. Heth, Franklin C. Harter, Anthony Niewyk, Robert L. Judd and Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman and McCord [451 Aug. 15, 1972 57 ABSTRACT A vacuum cleaner comprising a floor contacting cleaning unit including a member movable over a floor being cleaned and including a suction producing motor-fan unit, a handle movable on this unit between operating and storage positions, cooperating catch means on the unit and a catch on the handle that are in engagement when the handle is in its storage position to retain the handle in the storage position and means for releasing the engagement of the catch means and catch in moving the handle from storage to operating position in which at least one of the catch means and catch is yieldable to permit forcible disengagement by force applied to the cleaning unit and the handle structure with the result that the yieldable construction permits this forcible disengagement without damage to the vacuum cleaner parts involved.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PMENTEDAU: 15 1972 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

ERWIN E. NORDEEN Ma y avzzw,

ATTORNEYS.

VACUUM CLEANER CROSS REFERENCE The general arrangement of the vacuum cleaner disclosed herein in respect to the relationship of the operating parts thereof is shown and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 38,803, filed May 19, 1970 (PA-3355).

One of the features of this invention is to provide an improved vacuum cleaner in which the handle structure that is used to propel the cleaner over the surface being cleaned can be locked in storage position, as during off-the-floor cleaning, with the cleaner having cooperating catch parts at least one of which is yieldable under applied force so that the handle can be moved from the storage position to operating position without damage to the parts of the cleaner because of this yieldability.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view partially broken away of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention.

FIG 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the forcible moving of the handle structure from storage or non-operating position toward operating position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the cleaner of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the parts approaching release position.

The vacuum cleaner illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a floor contacting cleaning unit 10 adapted to be moved over the floor 11 during cleaning thereof by a handle 12 that is attached to the rear of a rigid casing that contains the dirt separating bag (not shown). As is customary the unit 10 is moved over the floor 11 by being provided with supporting wheels (not shown). The lower end of the casing 13 is mounted on a suction unit 14 so as to be substantially integral and arcuately movable therewith between the storage position of FIG. 1 and toward operating position as illustrated in FIG. 2. This structure including details thereof is disclosed and claimed in the above copending application.

In order to retain the handle structure 12 in the storage position of FIG. 1 the cleaning unit 10 is pro- I vided with a catch 15 thereon defined by a cam surface forming a recess 16 on the outer casing 17 of the suction unit 14. This recess is defined on its upper side by a shoulder 18 as illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4.

A catch means 19 is provided on the cleaning unit 10 for engagement with the shoulder 18 as shownin FIG. 3 to retain the handle structure 12 in upright position. Release means as embodied in a foot pedal 20 are provided for moving at least one of the catch means and catch out of engagement with each other preparatory to moving the handle structure 12 from the storage position of FIG. 1 toward operating position as illustrated in FIG. 2. In the illustrated embodiment the release means foot pedal 20 when moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 21 turns the catch means 19 about the axis 22 of the shaft 23 on which it is mounted to move the catch means 19 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS 1 and 3 out of engagement with the shoulder 18 and permit the movement of the handle structure 12 to operating position.

This resilient deformation of the finger 26 particularly at the tip 27 permits the yielding and disengagement without damage to the rigid parts of the vacuum cleaner. It has been found in the past that when such yieldable catch arrangement was not provided and the release mechanism failed to function force applied to the cleaner by the operator in an attempt to force the release often resulted in damage to the locked parts. This is avoided with the construction of the present invention.

The finger 26 of this embodiment may be made of any resiliently deformable material. An excellent material is a synthetic rubberlike material of which a flexible polyurethane is ideally suited.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a floor contacting cleaning unit movable over the floor during cleaning thereof; a handle structure comprising a suction unit movable on said cleaning unit between operating and storage positions, said suction unit having an outer casing; catch means on said cleaning unit; a catch defined by a portion of said suction unit casing, said catch means and catch having portions in engagement when said structure is in said storage position to retain the structure in storage position; and release means for bodily moving said catch means out of said engagement with said catch preparatory to moving said handle structure to operating position, said portion of said catch means engaging said catch being resiliently deformable and the remainder of said catch means and catch being relatively rigid to permit forcible disengagement thereof by force applied to the cleaning unit and handle structure in the event of failure of said release means.

2. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein said catch comprises a recess and said catch means comprises a finger engaging said recess when said handle structure is in said storage position.

3. The cleaner of claim 2 wherein said recess is defined on one side by a shoulder against which said finger bears.

4. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein said catch is embodied in a cam surface forming a recess on said suction unit.

Claims (4)

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a floor contacting cleaning unit movable over the floor during cleaning thereof; a handle structure comprising a suction unit movable on said cleaning unit between operating and storage positions, said suction unit having an outer casing; catch means on said cleaning unit; a catch defined by a portion of said suction unit casing, said catch means and catch having portions in engagement when said structure is in said storage position to retain the structure in storage position; and release means for bodily moving said catch means out of said engagement with said catch preparatory to moving said handle structure to operating position, said portion of said catch means engaging said catch being resiliently deformable and the remainder of said catch means and catch being relatively rigid to permit forcible disengagement thereof by force applied to the cleaning unit and handle structure in the event of failure of said release means.

2. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein said catch comprises a recess and said catch means comprises a finger engaging said recess when said handle structure is in said storage position.

3. The cleaner of claim 2 wherein said recess is defined on one side by a shoulder against which said finger bears.

4. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein said catch is embodied in a cam surface forming a recess on said suction unit.

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