WO2005107555A1

WO2005107555A1 - A suspension device for suspending the container of a central vacuum cleaner from a wall

Info

Publication number: WO2005107555A1
Application number: PCT/DK2005/000284
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ebba Utter; Jan SJÖBERG
Original assignee: Nilfisk-Advance A/S
Priority date: 2004-05-06
Filing date: 2005-04-26
Publication date: 2005-11-17
Also published as: CA2565181A1; CA2565181C

Abstract

To suspend a container (1, 5) of a central vacuum cleaner form a wall, use is made of a suspension device according to the invention which consists of a first bracket part (3) for attachment to a wall and a second bracket part (2) which is capable of engaging the first bracket part and is secured to the container. The first bracket part (3) is configured as a wedge-shaped housing having a rear wall (12) and a front opening (11) which are defined by longitudinal walls (8) and a transverse wall (7) connected at the narrow end of the housing with the longitudinal walls. In extension of the longitudinal walls, further, longitudinal walls (9) are provided perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls, said further longitudinal walls having their free edges provided with holding flanges (10) disposed perpendicularly to the rear wall (13). The second bracket part is configured in a similar manner, but without holding flanges. The suspension device according to the invention is unique in that the second bracket part may engage the first bracket part from both ends of the first bracket part, which is an advantage in connection with a central vacuum cleaner which is made with both small and large containers, as a small container has its motor placed on top of the container, while a large container has the motor placed below the container. Thus, it is possible to use the first bracket for both large and small containers, said first bracket being secured to the wall in one or the other direction which is determined by whether a large of a small container is used.

Description

A suspension device for suspending the container of a central vacuum cleaner from a wall

The invention relates to a suspension device for suspending a container of a central vacuum cleaner from a wall, said suspension device being formed by a first bracket part for attachment in a wall, said first bracket part being adapted to engage a second bracket part on the container, said first bracket part having a rear wall with two longitudinal walls from the rear wall, said second bracket part having two longitudinal walls whose free edges are connected with a transverse wall which is disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls.

Central vacuum cleaners are usually made in two versions, where the first version has a small container, said container facing upwards with its open- ing, while the second version has a large container, said container facing downwards with its opening. In both cases, the vacuum cleaner motor is secured to the edge which is disposed at the opening of the container.

Both types of holders have a suspension device comprising a first bracket of the same type which is adapted to engage a second bracket secured to a wall.

Since the opening of the small container is to face oppositely to the opening of the large container, it is clear that the first bracket on the small container will face opposite the second bracket on the large container when the containers are suspended from a wall.

A suspension device of the type defined in the introductory portion of claim 1 is known from US Patent No. 6 557 206. This known suspension device has a bracket which is useful only with the upward orientation of the container, and thus not in connection with suspension devices where the same bracket is used for containers which face either upwards or downwards.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a suspension device for a container of a central vacuum cleaner, constructed such that the same brackets may be used, no matter whether a large or a small container is used for the central vacuum cleaner.

The object of the invention is achieved by a suspension device of the type defined in the introductory portion of claim 1 , which is characterized in that the first bracket part is configured as a wedge-shaped housing having a front opening, said front opening being defined by a frame which is formed by the two longitudinal walls from the rear side which are terminated at their free edges by adjoining, longitudinal walls disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls, and that the second bracket part is configured as a wedge-shaped housing having a rear side and a front opening, said front opening being defined by a frame which is formed by the two longitudinal walls from the rear side, whose free edges are terminated by longitudinal walls which are disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls.

Hereby, the same bracket parts may be used on both types of containers, as the second bracket is just mounted on the wall in one or the other direction in dependence on whether a large or a small container is used.

When, as stated in claim 2, a transverse wall is connected with the upper ends of the longitudinal walls, and the free end of the transverse wall in the first bracket part is terminated by an edge, a good engagement is achieved between the first and second brackets.

An expedient geometry of the bracket parts is, as stated in claim 3, that the first and second bracket parts are trapezoidal. When, as stated in claim 4, the rear wall of the first bracket is provided with reinforcing ribs which define an engagement face longitudinally of the rear side extending from the edges of the rear side and centrally inwards toward the centre, so that the engagement face gets a surface which has a ge- ometry corresponding to the width of the longitudinal walls and the width of the transverse wall, a strong bracket is achieved with which the second bracket can get a good grip.

The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to the draw- ing, in which fig. 1 shows a small container for a central vacuum cleaner with the bracket parts of the suspension device according to the invention separated from each other, fig. 2 shows the container of fig. 1 with the bracket parts of the suspension device assembled, fig. 3 shows a large container for a central vacuum cleaner with the bracket parts of the suspension device assembled, fig. 4 shows a first bracket for the suspension device according to the invention, seen obliquely from behind, fig. 5 shows the bracket part of fig. 4, seen obliquely from the front, fig. 6 shows a second bracket part for the suspension device according to the invention, seen obliquely from the front, while fig. 7 shows the bracket part of fig. 6, seen from below. In fig. 1 and fig. 2, the numeral 1 designates a container of the so-called small type which is used in connection with a central vacuum cleaner, which is a vacuum cleaner type which is coupled via a pipe connection network to a stub 4 on the container, and where several outlets are con- nected to the pipe connection network, in e.g. various rooms, to which vacuum cleaner hoses may be connected, it being hereby possible to vacuum- clean several rooms with the same vacuum cleaner, without it being necessary to move the vacuum cleaner to the individual rooms.

The container in fig. 1 and fig. 2 has the actual vacuum cleaner motor positioned on top of the opening of the container, which, however, is not shown in the figures. As will be seen, a first bracket 2 is provided on the actual container, which may be connected with a second bracket 3 which may be secured to a wall.

In fig. 1 , the first and second brackets are shown just before they are interconnected, while they are shown in a connected state in fig. 2.

Fig. 3 shows a container 5, which is of the so-called large type, for a central vacuum cleaner. This container, too, has a stub 6 for connection to a pipe connection network (not shown). In relation to the small container 1 , the large container 5 has its opening facing downwards so that a vacuum cleaner motor (not shown) may be connected with the downwardly facing opening of the container.

This container is moreover provided with the same first bracket 2 as the container shown in fig. 1 and fig. 2, which may be connected with a second bracket 3 which is of the same type as shown in fig. 1 and fig. 2. The difference is that the bracket 2 in fig. 3 is turned 180° relative to the bracket 3 in fig. 1 and fig. 2. With reference now to figures 4 - 7 it will be explained more fully how the first bracket 2 and the second bracket 3 are constructed.

As will be seen in fig. 4 and fig. 5, the first bracket 2 consists of a wedge- shaped housing having a rear wall 13 and a front opening 11 , said front opening being defined by a frame which is formed by at least two longitudinal, narrow walls 8 from the rear wall, which are formed in their free edges with even narrower, longitudinal walls 9 disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls 8, said even smaller longitudinal walls 9 being formed with narrow edges 10 at their free edges.

A narrow, transverse wall 14 is provided between the narrow walls 9 at the narrow end of the bracket and is connected with the longitudinal, narrow walls 8. The free end of this narrow, longitudinal wall is also formed with an even narrower wall 15 which is disposed perpendicularly to the transverse wall 14, the free edge of said narrower wall being formed with an edge 16.

Reinforcing ribs 12 as well as screw holes 17 are provided on the rear side of the first bracket.

The reinforcing ribs are defined relative to the outer edges of the rear side in such a manner as to provide an engagement face 18 on the rear side.

As shown in fig. 6 and fig. 7, the second bracket 2 is here constructed in the same manner as the bracket 3 in fig. 1 and fig. 2, but without reinforcing ribs and screw holes.

Thus, the bracket consists of a wedge-shaped housing having a front opening 19, a rear wall 24, a frame defined by longitudinal, narrow walls 20, a transverse, narrow wall 21 as well as even narrower walls 22 and an even narrower transverse wall 23, said even narrower walls being disposed perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal walls and the transverse wall.

It will then be explained how the first and second brackets are interconnected in the situations where the second bracket is arranged on the small container shown in fig. 1 and fig. 2, and alternatively is arranged on the large container in fig. 3.

When the first bracket is used in connection with the small container, it is screwed into a wall with the broad part of the wedge-shaped part upwards. Then, the first bracket 2 is pushed down into the hollow in the second bracket 3, whereby the longitudinal walls 9 and the transverse wall 15 grip the rear side of the first bracket.

When the first bracket 2 is used in connection with the large container, it is screwed into a wall with the broad part of the wedge-shaped part downwards. Then, the first bracket 2 is pushed externally on the second bracket 3, whereby the narrow walls 22, 23 hold the bracket against the engagement face 18.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A suspension device for suspending a container of a central vacuum cleaner from a wall, said suspension device being formed by a first bracket part for attachment in a wall, said first bracket part being adapted to engage a second bracket part on the container, said first bracket part having a rear wall (12) with two longitudinal walls from the rear wall, said second bracket part having two longitudinal walls whose free edges are connected with a transverse wall (23) which is disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls (22), characterized in that the first bracket part is configured as a wedge-shaped housing having a front opening (11), said front opening being defined by a frame which is formed by the two longitudinal walls (8) from the rear side, which are terminated at their free edges by adjoining, longitudinal walls (9) disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls (8), and that the second bracket part is configured as a wedge- shaped housing having a rear side and a front opening, said front opening being defined by a frame which is formed by the two longitudinal walls (20) from the rear side, whose free edges are terminated by longitudinal walls (22) which are disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal walls (20).

2. A suspension device according to claim ^characterized in that a transverse wall (14) is connected with the upper ends of the longitudinal walls (9), and that the free end of the transverse wall in the first bracket part is terminated by an edge (16).

3. A suspension device according to claims 1 -2, ch a racterized in that the first and second bracket parts are trapezoidal.

4. A suspension device according to claims 1 -3, ch a racterized in that the rear wall of the first bracket is provided with reinforcing ribs which define an engagement face longitudinally of the rear side extending from the edges of the rear side and centrally inwards toward the centre, so that the engagement face gets a surface which has a geometry corresponding to the width of the longitudinal walls and the width of the transverse wall.