Vacuum cleaner having forwardly curved handle

Claim 1

An upright vacuum cleaner comprising a wheeled, floor-engaging suction housing having a rear portion and a front edge and a handle having a lower portion and an upper portion, said lower portion being pivotally connected to said rear portion of said housing and defining a rigid chamber for receiving material from said suction housing, said housing having a relatively low vertical profile for ease of cleaning under articles of furniture, said lower portion of said handle being relatively straight and having a longitudinal axis, said upper portion of said handle having a front wall curving upwardly and forwardly from the rigid chamber and from the longitudinal axis of said lower portion in the direction of said front edge of said housing and further having an end with a hand grip portion thereon angularly related to said upper portion, said handle being pivotable between a fully upright position with said longitudinal axis in a substantially vertical position and a fully lowered position with said longitudinal axis in a substantially horizontal position, said hand grip portion being positioned substantially vertically above the front edge of said housing with said handle in said upright position and being at a level substantially above the vertical profile of said housing with said handle in said substantially horizontal position.