Blower connection and exhaust valve configuration for a cleaner or the like

Claim 2

An exhaust valve and blower conversion arrangement for use with a floor care appliance having a fan for inducing a flow of discharge air and an apertured housing section having a first aperture therein for providing an exit, at least part of the time, for said discharge air and including; a. a first relatively flat, laterally extending portion having a first dike transversely extending therefrom, b. a second relatively flat, laterally extending portion having a second dike transversely extending therefrom, said first and second portions being relatively movable, c. said second relatively flat, laterally extending portion having a second aperture extending therethrough, and d. said first and second transversely extending dikes having substantially closed configurations, in plan view, and being undulating in their closed, configured extent whereby, when abutting conformance of said undulations is effected alignment of said first and second apertures is also effected said first and second apertures providing a passageway whereby said blower conversion is effectable.

Claim 3

The exhaust valve and blower conversion arrangement of claim 1 wherein; a. said undulations, upon assuming a non-abutting conformance, permit exit of discharge air therebetween in a substantially unimpeded manner.

Claim 4

An exhaust valve arrangement for a floor care appliance having a fan means providing a discharge air flow, the exhaust valve arrangement including; a. a first member having a first dike extending therefrom, b. a second member movable relative To the first and having a second dike extending therefrom, c. each of said dikes taking the form, in plan view, of a closed configuration of a connected series of alternating radially inner and outer segments, d. said closed configuration on each of said first and second members being of the same shape so that, upon abutting conformance thereof, discharge air is prevented from passing therebetween, and e. said closed configurations of connected series of radially inner and outer segments, when in nonabutting conformance, permitting the flow of discharge air therebetween.

Claim 5

An exhaust valve arrangement for a floor care appliance having a fan means providing a discharge air flow, the exhaust valve arrangement including; a. a first member having a first dike extending therefrom, b. a second member movable relative To the first and having a second dike extending therefrom, c. each of said dikes taking the form, in plan view, of a closed configuration of a connected series of alternating radially inner and outer segments, d. said closed configuration on each of said first and second members being of the same shape so that, upon abutting conformance thereof, discharge air is prevented from passing therebetween, and e. said closed configurations of connected series of radially inner and outer segments, when in nonabutting conformance, permitting the flow of discharge air therebetween.

Claim 6

The exhaust valve arrangement for a floor care appliance as set out in claim 3 wherein; a. one of said first and second members includes a hose coupling structure, and b. when said dikes are in said abutting conformance, said hose coupling structure receives discharge air therethrough.

Claim 7

The exhaust valve arrangement for a floor care appliance as set out in claim 4 wherein; a. a hose and means for securing said hose is provided for securement to said hose coupling structure, b. said means for securing said hose when attached to said hose coupling structure abuttingly interfering with movement of one of said first and second members to non-abutting conformance with the other of said members.

Claim 8

The exhaust valve arrangement for a floor care appliance as set out in claim 3 wherein; a. one of said first and second members is biasingly maintained with said dikes in one of said abutting and non-abutting positions by a connected resilient spring biasing arrangement.

Claim 9

The exhaust valve arrangement for a floor care appliance as set out in claim 3 wherein; a. each of said connected series of radially inner and outer segments provide a serpentine-like configuration to each of said dikes.

Claim 10

The exhaust valve arrangement for a floor care appliance as set out in claim 3 wherein; a. said second member rotates relative to the first member, and b. said dikes each take the general form of a closed annulus.

Claim 11

A cleaner having an exhaust valve and blower conversion arrangement, including; a. a bottom member for said cleaner having an outer periphery, b. a member having a relatively flat portion disposed above said bottom member and forming a part of the bag-receiving cavity for said cleaner, c. a fan system disposed between said bottom member and said flat portion, d. said fan system for said floor care appliance providing a flow of discharge air to a passageway extending outwardly between said bottom member and said relatively flat portion of said member disposed above said bottom member, e. said passageway also extending peripherally around said fan system, and f. a valve means for controlling the flow of discharge air through said passageway, including a portion of said passageway, wholly disposed radially outwardly of said fan system, and also extending peripherally around said fan system but within the space between said bottom member and said flat portion whereby discharge air is discharged with lowered noise and reduced back pressure as it passes through the valve means when open because of the large valve flow area occasioned by the peripheral extent and placement of said valve means.

Claim 12

A cleaner having an exhaust valve and blower conversion arrangement, including; a. a bottom member for said cleaner having an outer periphery, b. a member having a relatively flat portion disposed above said bottom member and forming a part of the bag-receiving cavity for said cleaner, c. a fan system disposed between said bottom member and said flat portion, d. said fan system for said floor care appliance providing a flow of discharge air to a passageway extending outwardly between said bottom member and said relatively flat portion of said member disposed above said bottom member, e. said passageway also extending peripherally around said fan system, and f. a valve means for controlling the flow of discharge air through said passageway, including a portion of said passageway, wholly disposed radially outwardly of said fan system, and also extending peripherally around said fan system but within the space between said bottom member and said flat portion whereby discharge air is discharged with lowered noise and reduced back pressure as it passes through the valve means when open because of the large valve flow area occasioned by the peripheral extent and placement of said valve means.

Claim 13

The cleaner having an exhaust valve and blower conversion means as set out in claim 9 wherein; a. said valve means, including a portion of said passageway, includes a vertically extending movable dike member and a vertically extending fixed dike member, and b. each of said dike members has a serpentine-like configuration in plan view, capable of abutting conformance for preventing the discharge of discharge air therebetween.

Claim 14

An exhaust valve and blower conversion arrangement for a cleaner, the combination including; a. a fan means for generating a flow of discharge air for said cleaner, b. a passageway means extending entirely around said fan means and formed by said cleaner for providing For a surrounding peripherally extending exit for said flow of discharge air, c. a valve member extending annularly around said fan means and disposedly mounted in said passageway means for movement relative to said passageway means to abuttingly conform with and move from conformance with a portion of said passageway means surrounding said fan means, to alternately interrupt and permit surrounding peripheral exit flow of said discharge air.

Claim 15

An exhaust valve and blower conversion arrangement for a cleaner, the combination including; a. a fan means for generating a flow of discharge air for said cleaner, b. a passageway means extending entirely around said fan means and formed by said cleaner for providing For a surrounding peripherally extending exit for said flow of discharge air, c. a valve member extending annularly around said fan means and disposedly mounted in said passageway means for movement relative to said passageway means to abuttingly conform with and move from conformance with a portion of said passageway means surrounding said fan means, to alternately interrupt and permit surrounding peripheral exit flow of said discharge air.