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.
Inventors
👤 Erwin E Nordeen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-08 20:43
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47L; A47L9/00; A47L9/32; A47L9/325
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
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.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
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.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The cleaner of claim 2 wherein said recess is defined on one side by a shoulder against which said finger bears.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The cleaner of claim 1 wherein said catch is embodied in a cam surface forming a recess on said suction unit.