Handle and wand system for vacuum cleaner

Claim 2

A locking interface for use in a vacuum cleaner system to detachably join a first member of the system to a second member of the system, the locking interface comprising: a suction conduit wall in the first member surrounding a suction conduit, the suction conduit wall having a slot opening therein near a female end of the first member, the first member also including an end wall at the first end of the first member, the end wall having a plurality of contact access openings therein; a first plurality of conducting wires running generally parallel to the suction conduit and along the first member, each of the conducting wires terminating at the female end of the first member in an electrical contact, each of the electrical contacts being located adjacent a contact access opening in the end wall; a latch including a button and a locking arm having a locking tooth, the latch being movably mounted on the first member to permit the locking tooth to move in the slot opening in the suction conduit wall; a spring for biasing the latch such that the locking tooth of the latch is biased towards the suction conduit; a cylindrical flange attached to the second member at a male end of the second member, the cylindrical flange fitting into the suction conduit at the female end of the first member; a locking projection on the cylindrical flange of the second member; wherein, the second member is detachably joined to the first member with the cylindrical flange of the second member fitting into the suction conduit of the first member such that the locking projection extends into the slot opening in the suction conduit wall with the locking projection engaging the locking tooth to prevent the first member from being separated from the second member until the button is depressed to compress the spring and move the locking tooth away from the locking projection and permit the second member to be removed from the first member.

Claim 3

The locking interface of claim 1 wherein the second member further includes a spacing wall protruding from the cylindrical flange which abuts the first member when the locking projection engages the locking tooth to prevent the first member and the second member from being moved closer toward one another.

Claim 4

The locking interface of claim 2 wherein the spacing wall abuts the end wall of the first member to prevent the first member and the second member from being moved closer toward one another.

Claim 5

The locking interface of claim 3 wherein the first member comprises a wand section.

Claim 6

The locking interface of claim 4 wherein the second member further comprises a shielding wall protruding from the cylindrical.flange to shield at least one of the plurality of contact access openings.

Claim 7

The locking interface of claim 5 wherein the second member comprises a cleaning tool.

Claim 8

The locking interface of claim 5 wherein the second member comprises an adaptor for attaching a cleaning tool to the first member.

Claim 9

The locking interface of claim 2 wherein the second member includes a plurality of electrically conducting pins, each of which is coupled to one of a second plurality of conducting wires running along the second member, wherein, when the locking projection of the second member engages the locking tooth of the latch, each of the electrically conducting pins extends through a contact access opening in the end wall of the first member and contacts one of the electrical contacts located adjacent the contact access openings.

Claim 10

9, The locking interface of claim 8 wherein the second member includes a key on the cylindrical flange, the key fitting inside the slot opening in the suction conduit wall of the first member.

Claim 11

The locking interface of claim 9 wherein the second member includes two electrically conducting pins, with one electrically conducting pin being located on either side of the key.

Claim 12

The locking interface of claim 10 wherein the key is angled such that it is wider at the base of the spacing wall than at the opposite end of the key.

Claim 13

The locking interface of claim 11 wherein the key extends from the base of the spacing wall toward the locking projection, wherein the key extends past the ends of the electrically conducting pins.

Claim 14

The locking interface of claim 8 wherein the second member comprises a wand section.

Claim 15

The locking interface of claim 13 wherein the first member comprises a handle section.

Claim 16

The locking interface of claim 13 wherein the first member comprises a wand section.

Claim 17

The locking interface of claim 8 wherein the second member comprises a powered nozzle.

Claim 18

The locking interface of claim 16 wherein the first member comprises a wand section.

Claim 19

A handle for use in a vacuum cleaner system including a suction hose having a hose cuff with a groove therein extending around the hose cuff, the hose cuff being attached to the suction hose at one end of the suction hose, the handle comprising: a handle body having a suction conduit therein, the suction conduit extending from a front opening in the handle body to a forward opening in a bore located at the rear of the handle body, the bore having a rear opening and a slot opening is a side wall of the bore; a handle cover constructed to join with the handle body, the handle cover including a tab at a rear end thereof; wherein, the suction hose is joined to the handle with the hose cuff being positioned in the bore in the handle body such that the groove in the hose cuff is aligned with the slot opening in the side wall of the bore, the tab of the handle cover protruding through the slot opening and into the groove in the hose cuff to prevent the suction hose and hose cuff from being removed from the handle while permitting the suction hose and hose cuff to rotate within the bore.

Claim 20

A handle for use in a vacuum cleaner system including a suction hose having a hose cuff with a groove therein extending around the hose cuff, the hose cuff being attached to the suction hose at one end of the suction hose, the handle comprising: a handle body having a suction conduit therein, the suction conduit extending from a front opening in the handle body to a forward opening in a bore located at the rear of the handle body, the bore having a rear opening and a slot opening is a side wall of the bore; a handle cover constructed to join with the handle body, the handle cover including a tab at a rear end thereof; wherein, the suction hose is joined to the handle with the hose cuff being positioned in the bore in the handle body such that the groove in the hose cuff is aligned with the slot opening in the side wall of the bore, the tab of the handle cover protruding through the slot opening and into the groove in the hose cuff to prevent the suction hose and hose cuff from being removed from the handle while permitting the suction hose and hose cuff to rotate within the bore.

Claim 21

19 . The handle of claim 18 wherein the handle body further comprises a stop wall protruding from the side wall of the bore into the bore, the stop wall being positioned such that the groove in the hose cuff is aligned with the slot opening when the hose cuff contacts the stop wall.

Claim 22

The handle of claim 19 wherein the handle body comprises a unitary piece of molded plastic.

Claim 23

A swivel joint for joining a powered nozzle to a vacuum cleaner system, the swivel joint comprising: a swivel member joined at a lower end thereof to a powered nozzle, the swivel member including tubular section at an upper end of the swivel member, the swivel member also having a suction conduit therein and first and second spacing rings protruding from the outside of the tubular section, with a pair of grooves in the outside of the tubular section being located between the spacing rings; a pair of snap ring contacts, each of which fits into one of the grooves in the tubular section of the swivel member such that each snap ring contact at least partially encircles the tubular section of the swivel member, each of the snap ring contacts being electrically connected to an electrical system in the powered nozzle; an elbow body having a bore at a lower end thereof and a suction conduit extending from the bore to an upper end of the elbow body, the upper end of the elbow body including an interface for joining the elbow body to the vacuum cleaner system, the elbow body also having at least one contact opening therein; a pair of swivel contacts mounted to the elbow body, each swivel contact extending through a particular contact opening into the bore, each swivel contact being electrically connected to the interface at the upper end of the elbow body; wherein a portion of the tubular section of the swivel member is positioned in the bore of the elbow body with the spacing rings contacting the bore and such that each swivel contact makes electrical contact with a corresponding snap ring contact to permit the swivel member to rotate within the bore while electrical contact between each swivel contact the corresponding snap ring contact is maintained.

Claim 24

A swivel joint for joining a powered nozzle to a vacuum cleaner system, the swivel joint comprising: a swivel member joined at a lower end thereof to a powered nozzle, the swivel member including tubular section at an upper end of the swivel member, the swivel member also having a suction conduit therein and first and second spacing rings protruding from the outside of the tubular section, with a pair of grooves in the outside of the tubular section being located between the spacing rings; a pair of snap ring contacts, each of which fits into one of the grooves in the tubular section of the swivel member such that each snap ring contact at least partially encircles the tubular section of the swivel member, each of the snap ring contacts being electrically connected to an electrical system in the powered nozzle; an elbow body having a bore at a lower end thereof and a suction conduit extending from the bore to an upper end of the elbow body, the upper end of the elbow body including an interface for joining the elbow body to the vacuum cleaner system, the elbow body also having at least one contact opening therein; a pair of swivel contacts mounted to the elbow body, each swivel contact extending through a particular contact opening into the bore, each swivel contact being electrically connected to the interface at the upper end of the elbow body; wherein a portion of the tubular section of the swivel member is positioned in the bore of the elbow body with the spacing rings contacting the bore and such that each swivel contact makes electrical contact with a corresponding snap ring contact to permit the swivel member to rotate within the bore while electrical contact between each swivel contact the corresponding snap ring contact is maintained.

Claim 25

The swivel joint of claim 21 wherein the swivel member further includes a third spacing ring.

Claim 26

The swivel joint of claim 22 wherein the elbow body further includes a pawl opening and the swivel joint further comprises a locking pawl which fits into the pawl opening and extends into the bore between the second and third spacing rings of the swivel member to prevent the swivel member from moving further inward or outward with respect to the bore.

Claim 27

The swivel joint of claim 23 wherein the elbow body further includes a bore stop wall extending into the bore from a side wall of the bore.

Claim 28

The swivel joint of claim 24 wherein the third spacing ring is located at the upper end of the swivel member, and the swivel member further includes a pair of swivel member stop walls extending upward from the third spacing ring, the swivel member stop walls abutting the bore stop wall when the swivel member is rotated within the elbow body to limit the rotation of the swivel member within the elbow body.

Claim 29

The swivel joint of claim 25 wherein the swivel member further includes a pivot mount at a lower end of the swivel member, wherein the pivot mount is joined to the powered nozzle so as to permit the swivel joint to pivot about the pivot mount.

Claim 30

The swivel joint of claim 26 wherein the first spacing ring has a gap therein to permit the snap ring contacts to be electrically connected to the electrical system in the powered nozzle. ring gap

Claim 31

A swivel interface for joining a suction hose having a plurality of conducting wires embedded therein to a handle, the swivel interface comprising: a tube support having a first end, wherein an end of the suction hose covers the first end of the tube support, the tube support having an outer surface with a plurality of spring contact mounts located on the outer surface; a plurality of spring contacts, each spring contact including a contact leaf, and each spring contact being mounted to one of the spring contact mounts such that the contact leaf on the spring contact extends radially outward from the outer surface of the tube support, with each spring contact being electrically connected to one of the plurality of conducting wires imbedded in the suction hose; a hose cuff attached to the suction hose, the hose cuff having a groove extending around an exterior surface of the hose cuff; a slip ring insulator surrounding a portion of the outer surface of the tube support, the slip ring insulator having a generally tubular configuration with a plurality of contact openings therein, the slip ring insulator being positioned on the tube support such that the contact leaf of each spring contact mounted to the tube support protrudes through one of the plurality of contact openings in the slip ring insulator; a plurality of conducting slip rings mounted on the slip ring insulator such that each conducting slip ring is in contact with the contact leaf of one of the spring contacts; a contact board mounted in the handle, the contact board including a plurality of board contacts, each board contact making electrical contact with a conducting slip ring and being electrically connected to an electrical system in the handle; and a tab in the handle extending into the groove in the hose cuff to permit the hose cuff and the suction hose to be rotated relative to the handle, wherein electrical contact between the conducting wires embedded in the suction hose and the electrical system in the handle is maintained when the hose cuff and suction hose rotate with respect to the handle.

Claim 32

A swivel interface for joining a suction hose having a plurality of conducting wires embedded therein to a handle, the swivel interface comprising: a tube support having a first end, wherein an end of the suction hose covers the first end of the tube support, the tube support having an outer surface with a plurality of spring contact mounts located on the outer surface; a plurality of spring contacts, each spring contact including a contact leaf, and each spring contact being mounted to one of the spring contact mounts such that the contact leaf on the spring contact extends radially outward from the outer surface of the tube support, with each spring contact being electrically connected to one of the plurality of conducting wires imbedded in the suction hose; a hose cuff attached to the suction hose, the hose cuff having a groove extending around an exterior surface of the hose cuff; a slip ring insulator surrounding a portion of the outer surface of the tube support, the slip ring insulator having a generally tubular configuration with a plurality of contact openings therein, the slip ring insulator being positioned on the tube support such that the contact leaf of each spring contact mounted to the tube support protrudes through one of the plurality of contact openings in the slip ring insulator; a plurality of conducting slip rings mounted on the slip ring insulator such that each conducting slip ring is in contact with the contact leaf of one of the spring contacts; a contact board mounted in the handle, the contact board including a plurality of board contacts, each board contact making electrical contact with a conducting slip ring and being electrically connected to an electrical system in the handle; and a tab in the handle extending into the groove in the hose cuff to permit the hose cuff and the suction hose to be rotated relative to the handle, wherein electrical contact between the conducting wires embedded in the suction hose and the electrical system in the handle is maintained when the hose cuff and suction hose rotate with respect to the handle.

Claim 33

The swivel interface of claim 28 further comprising a lead insulator separating the ends of the conducting wires embedded in the suction hose from the conducting slip rings.

Claim 34

The swivel interface of claim 29 wherein the slip ring insulator has a gap therein, giving the slip ring insulator a generally C-shaped cross-section.

Claim 35

The swivel interface of claim 30 wherein the outer surface of the tube support includes a key which fits into the gap in the slip ring insulator.

Claim 36

The swivel interface of claim 28 wherein the slip ring insulator has an outer slip ring insulator surface including a plurality of slip ring grooves into which the conducting slip rings seat.

Claim 37

The swivel interface of claim 28 wherein the electrical system in the handle includes an on/off power switch.

Claim 38

The swivel interface of claim 28 wherein the tube support is plastic.

Claim 39

A hose cuff to be attached to a suction hose, the hose cuff comprising two identical cuff halves, with each cuff half including a locking tooth at a first end and an indentation at a second end, wherein the locking tooth of one cuff half fits into the indentation of the other cuff half to lock the hose cuff in place around the suction hose.

Claim 40

A hose cuff to be attached to a suction hose, the hose cuff comprising two identical cuff halves, with each cuff half including a locking tooth at a first end and an indentation at a second end, wherein the locking tooth of one cuff half fits into the indentation of the other cuff half to lock the hose cuff in place around the suction hose.

Claim 41

The hose cuff of claim 35 wherein each cuff half includes a plurality of locking teeth at the first end and a plurality of indentations at the second end, wherein the locking teeth of one cuff half fit into the indentations of the other cuff half.

Claim 42

The hose cuff of claim 36 wherein the hose cuff includes an outer surface having a groove extending around the entire hose cuff.