Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
263 words
A vacuum cleaner comprising: a main housing; a suction fan mounted in said housing for drawing air into said housing; an air exhaust passage from said housing communicating with said suction fan; a motor in said housing for driving said fan; said housing having a forward end; a nozzle extending rigidly from said forward end of said housing; an air inlet port at the end of said nozzle remote from said housing; said nozzle including a pair of sections extending longitudinally of said nozzle and defining an air passage between them from said air inlet port to said suction fan; a first one of said nozzle sections being secured to said housing; the second of said nozzle sections being releasably secured to said housing and to said first section; a filter member housed within said nozzle for filtering the air passing through said nozzle and trapping particulate matter in said air; said second section of said nozzle being openable to make said filter member in said housing accessible for insertion, removal and replacement; a sleeve member at the forward end of said nozzle away from said housing; said sleeve member extending into said air passage; said sleeve member securing said nozzle sections together and preventing release of said second housing section from said first housing section; said inlet port further comprising an end nozzle including a sleeve projecting into said sleeve member for positioning said end nozzle; said end nozzle including a support and positioning portion thereof around the periphery thereof for being lodged against said main housing to position said end nozzle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
263 words
A vacuum cleaner comprising: a main housing; a suction fan mounted in said housing for drawing air into said housing; an air exhaust passage from said housing communicating with said suction fan; a motor in said housing for driving said fan; said housing having a forward end; a nozzle extending rigidly from said forward end of said housing; an air inlet port at the end of said nozzle remote from said housing; said nozzle including a pair of sections extending longitudinally of said nozzle and defining an air passage between them from said air inlet port to said suction fan; a first one of said nozzle sections being secured to said housing; the second of said nozzle sections being releasably secured to said housing and to said first section; a filter member housed within said nozzle for filtering the air passing through said nozzle and trapping particulate matter in said air; said second section of said nozzle being openable to make said filter member in said housing accessible for insertion, removal and replacement; a sleeve member at the forward end of said nozzle away from said housing; said sleeve member extending into said air passage; said sleeve member securing said nozzle sections together and preventing release of said second housing section from said first housing section; said inlet port further comprising an end nozzle including a sleeve projecting into said sleeve member for positioning said end nozzle; said end nozzle including a support and positioning portion thereof around the periphery thereof for being lodged against said main housing to position said end nozzle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
273 words
A vacuum cleaner comprising: a main housing; a suction fan mounted in said housing for drawing air into said housing; an air exhaust passage from said housing communicating with said suction fan; a motor in said housing for driving said fan; said housing having a forward end; a nozzle extending rigidly from said forward end of said housing; an air inlet port at the end of said nozzle remote from said housing; said nozzle including a pair of sections extending longitudinally of said nozzle and defining an air passage between them from said air inlet port to said suction fan; a first one of said nozzle sections being secured to said housing; the second of said nozzle sections being releasably secured to said housing and to said first section; a filter member housed within said nozzle for filtering the air passing through said nozzle and trapping particulate matter in said air; said second section of said nozzle being openable to make said filter member in said housing accessible for insertion, removal and replacement; a sleeve member at the forward end of said nozzle away from said housing; said sleeve member extending into said air passage; said sleeve member securing said nozzle sections together and preventing release of said second housing section from said first housing section; securing means for releasably securing said sleeve member to both said nozzle sections; a portion of said housing is extended to form a ledge for receiving an end of said second section of said nozzle and for retaining said end of said second section against movement in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of said nozzle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
273 words
A vacuum cleaner comprising: a main housing; a suction fan mounted in said housing for drawing air into said housing; an air exhaust passage from said housing communicating with said suction fan; a motor in said housing for driving said fan; said housing having a forward end; a nozzle extending rigidly from said forward end of said housing; an air inlet port at the end of said nozzle remote from said housing; said nozzle including a pair of sections extending longitudinally of said nozzle and defining an air passage between them from said air inlet port to said suction fan; a first one of said nozzle sections being secured to said housing; the second of said nozzle sections being releasably secured to said housing and to said first section; a filter member housed within said nozzle for filtering the air passing through said nozzle and trapping particulate matter in said air; said second section of said nozzle being openable to make said filter member in said housing accessible for insertion, removal and replacement; a sleeve member at the forward end of said nozzle away from said housing; said sleeve member extending into said air passage; said sleeve member securing said nozzle sections together and preventing release of said second housing section from said first housing section; securing means for releasably securing said sleeve member to both said nozzle sections; a portion of said housing is extended to form a ledge for receiving an end of said second section of said nozzle and for retaining said end of said second section against movement in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of said nozzle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The vacuum cleaner of either of claims 1 or 2, wherein said sleeve member includes a filter support in said air passage for supporting said filter member in said air passage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, further comprising said filter member being in the form of a filter bag and being supported by said sleeve member in said air passage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said sleeve member has an annular flange extending from the end thereof that is forward of the nozzle; said securing means comprises said flange having a re-entrant locking section and further comprises said nozzle housing sections having means on the forward ends thereof which extend into said re-entrant locking section to receive and mount said sleeve member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, further comprising an end nozzle having an opening for receiving air and having a sleeve corresponding in external dimensions to the internal dimensions of said sleeve member; said end nozzle sleeve being a frictional fit in said sleeve member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein said end nozzle includes a support and positioning portion thereof around the periphery thereof for being lodged against said nozzle section to position said end nozzle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein a portion of said housing is extended to form a ledge for receiving an end of said second section of said nozzle and for retaining said end of said second section against movement in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of said nozzle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
180 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said means at said forward end of each said section of said nozzle for extending into said re-entrant locking section comprises a respective L-shaped tab including a leg projecting forward of the respective said nozzle section and a tab section attached at the forward end of said leg and extending radially outwardly of said nozzle; said re-entrant locking section comprising a radial slot on each opposite side of said sleeve member, and each said slot being positioned to receive one of said tabs; a respective circumferential slot in said flange and communicating with each of said radial slots; said sleeve member being positioned on said first section of said nozzle with said tab of said first nozzle section entering a said radial slot and with said tab section passing through and forward of said flange; said flange being thereafter rotatable to cause said circumferential slots to receive said legs of said tabs to move said tab sections away from said radial slots and to interconnect said sleeve member and said two nozzle sections.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein said flange has a circumferential groove defined in the rearwardly facing side thereof for receiving the sleeve member therein when the tabs are entering and passing through the radial slots.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 9 or 10, further comprising an end nozzle having an opening for receiving air and having a sleeve corresponding in external dimensions to the internal dimensions of said sleeve member; said end nozzle sleeve being a frictional fit in said sleeve member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein said end nozzle includes a support and positioning portion thereof around the periphery thereof for being lodged against said nozzle sections to position said end nozzle.