Vacuum cleaner hose assembly

Claim 2

A vacuum cleaner hose assembly comprising, a vacuum hose, a plurality of electrical conductors provided as an integral part of said vacuum hose with each conductor having its opposite ends arranged immediately adjacent the opposite ends of said vacuum hose, electrical means fixed to opposite ends of said conductors, and a pair of hose connectors fixed to said opposite ends of said vacuum hose and formed substantially as an integral part thereof, each of said hose connectors being made of a material which serves as a matrix which has associated electrical means embedded therein, said electrical means comprising an electrical control device operatively connected to at least one of said conductors, said control device being embedded in one of said integral hose connectors with a substantial portion of said control device in intimate contact with the matrix material defining said one hose connector, said matrix material providing the sole support as well as protection for said control device.

Claim 3

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said control device is in the form of a control switch having an ''''off'''' position and a plurality of ''''on'''' positions.

Claim 4

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said control device is in the form of a control switch having an ''''off'''' position and integral means capable of providing a substantially infinite number of electrical outputs therefrom.

Claim 5

A vacuum cleaner hose assembly comprising, a vacuum hose, a plurality of electrical conductors provided as an integral part of said vacuum hose with each conductor having its opposite ends arranged immediately adjacent the opposite ends of said vacuum hose, electrical means fixed to opposite ends of said conductors, and a pair of hose connectors fixed to said opposite ends of said vacuum hose and formed substantially as an integral part thereof, each of said hose connectors being made of a material which serves as a matrix which has associated electrical means Embedded therein, said electrical means comprising an electrical control device operatively connected to at least one of said conductors, said control device being embedded in one of said integral hose connectors with a substantial portion of said control device in intimate contact with the matrix material defining said one hose connector, said matrix material providing the sole support for said control device, said electrical means including a pair of substantially identical electrical members embedded in an associated hose connector at each end of said assembly, each electrical member having a reduced diameter cylindrical portion adjoined at one end by a larger diameter cylindrical portion, one pair of said members employing its reduced diameter cylindrical portions as male connectors at one end of said assembly and the other pair of said members employing its larger diameter cylindrical portions as female connectors at the opposite end of said assembly, said members serving the dual purpose of being useable as both male and female connectors.

Claim 6

A vacuum cleaner hose assembly comprising, a vacuum hose, a plurality of electrical conductors provided as an integral part of said vacuum hose with each conductor having its opposite ends arranged immediately adjacent the opposite ends of said vacuum hose, electrical means fixed to opposite ends of said conductors, and a pair of hose connectors fixed to said opposite ends of said vacuum hose and formed substantially as an integral part thereof, each of said hose connectors being made of a material which serves as a matrix which has associated electrical means Embedded therein, said electrical means comprising an electrical control device operatively connected to at least one of said conductors, said control device being embedded in one of said integral hose connectors with a substantial portion of said control device in intimate contact with the matrix material defining said one hose connector, said matrix material providing the sole support for said control device, said electrical means including a pair of substantially identical electrical members embedded in an associated hose connector at each end of said assembly, each electrical member having a reduced diameter cylindrical portion adjoined at one end by a larger diameter cylindrical portion, one pair of said members employing its reduced diameter cylindrical portions as male connectors at one end of said assembly and the other pair of said members employing its larger diameter cylindrical portions as female connectors at the opposite end of said assembly, said members serving the dual purpose of being useable as both male and female connectors.

Claim 7

An assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which each of said members is fixed to an associated conductor by mechanically compressing a portion thereof against said conductor to provide both a mechanical and an electrical connection.

Claim 8

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said vacuum hose is made of a thermoplastic material and said material used to make said hose connectors is a thermoplastic material which is compatible with the material used to make said vacuum hose.

Claim 9

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said vacuum hose comprises a flexible hose made of a plastic material and said material used to make said hose connectors is a substantially rigid plastic material, said plastic materials being electrical insulators.

Claim 10

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said electrical conductors is in the form of a reinforcing wire which has its own plastic electrical insulating sleeve which is fixed in position substantially as an integral part of a plastic material defining said vacuum hose.

Claim 11

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said material used to make each of said pair of integral hose connectors is in the form of a thermoplastic material which provides the sole support for associated electrical means as well as electrical insulation therefor.

Claim 12

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said control device is in the form of a control switch having an ''''off'''' position and a plurality of ''''on'''' positions, said control switch being adapted to be used to control an associated electric motor comprising a cleaning tool used in association with said assembly, and said control switch being capable of controlling said motor so that it operates at a corresponding plurality of speeds.

Claim 13

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said control device is in the form of a control switch having an ''''off'''' position and integral means capable of providing a substantially infinite number of electrical outputs therefrom said control switch being adapted to be used to control an associated electrical motor comprising a cleaning tool used in association with said assembly, and said control switch being capable of controlling said motor so that it operates at an infinite number of speeds corresponding to said infinite number of electrical outputs.