Stick vacuum cleaner

Claim 2

A vacuum cleaner convertible between an upright vacuum cleaner and a portable hand carried vacuum cleaner, the combination comprising; a housing having opposite ends; nozzle means at one end of said housing; motor means in said housing for effecting suction of air through said nozzle means; filter means in said housing for receiving air from said nozzle means and arranged to remove and collect dirt from the air; a handle pivotably mounted on the other end of said housing for selective movement between an open position extending from said housing for manipulation thereof in an upright floor carried vacuum cleaning operation, and a closed position overlying said housing wherein said handle and housing cooperate to form a hand grip of discrete length at a location remote from said nozzle means adjacent said other end for manipulation thereof in a portable hand carried vacuum cleaning operation; and handle locking means for automatically locking said handle in its open positioon upon movement thereto.

Claim 3

The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a recess at said other end to provide a hand-hold space between said handle and said housing for said grip when said handle is in its closed position.

Claim 4

The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further including handle fastening means on said housing for fastening said handle in its closed position so that the length of said handle between its free end and said recess is held in a substantially abutting relationship against said housing.

Claim 5

The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a pair of opposite spaced apart longitudinal side walls extending between said opposite ends, and said handle pivots about an axis transverse to said side walls.

Claim 6

The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said automatic handle locking means includes means normally restraining the handle from pivotal movement out of its open position except upon the application of a predetermined external bending force on said handle.

Claim 7

A vacuum cleaner convertible between an upright vacuum cleaner and a portable hand carried vacuum cleaner, the combination comprising: a housing having opposite ends; nozzle means at one end of said housing; motor means in said housing for effecting suction of air through said nozzle means; filter means in said housing for receiving air from said nozzle means and arranged to remove and collect dirt from the air, said filter means includes a removable dirt reservoir carried by said housing disposed between said nozzle means and said motor means, and a filter bag carried by said dirt reservoir disposed between said reservoir and said motor means; and a handle pivotably mounted on the other end of said housing for selective movement between an open position extending from said housing for manipulation thereof in an upright floor carried vacuum cleaning operation, and a closed position overlying said housing wherein said handle and housing cooperate to form a hand grip of discrete length at a location remote from said nozzle means adjacent said other end for manipulation thereof in a portable hand carried vacuum cleaning operation, and wherein said dirt reservoir includes handle latching means thereon for latching said handle in its closed position.

Claim 8

A vacuum cleaner convertible between an upright vacuum cleaner and a portable hand carried vacuum cleaner, the combination comprising: a housing having opposite ends; nozzle means at one end of said housing; motor means in said housing for effecting suction of air through said nozzle means; filter means in said housing for receiving air from said nozzle means and arranged to remove and collect dirt from the air, said filter means includes a removable dirt reservoir carried by said housing disposed between said nozzle means and said motor means, and a filter bag carried by said dirt reservoir disposed between said reservoir and said motor means; and a handle pivotably mounted on the other end of said housing for selective movement between an open position extending from said housing for manipulation thereof in an upright floor carried vacuum cleaning operation, and a closed position overlying said housing wherein said handle and housing cooperate to form a hand grip of discrete length at a location remote from said nozzle means adjacent said other end for manipulation thereof in a portable hand carried vacuum cleaning operation, and wherein said dirt reservoir includes handle latching means thereon for latching said handle in its closed position.

Claim 9

A vacuum cleaner convertible between an upright vacuum cleaner and a portable hand carried vacuum cleaner, the combination comprising; a housing having opposite ends; nozzle means at one end of said housing; motor means in said housing for effecting suction of air through said nozzle means; filter means in said housing for receiving air from said nozzle means and arranged to remove and collect dirt from the air, said filter means includes a removable dirt reservoir carried by said housing disposed between said nozzle means and said motor means, and a filter bag carried by said dirt reservoir disposed between said reservoir and said motor means, and said housing includes a hollow portion extending between said motor means and said nozzle means, said dirt reservoir includes a cover closing said hollow portion, and said housing futher includes a bottom wall and side walls interconnecting said cover and bottom walls; a handle pivotably mounted on the other end of said housing for selective movement between an open position extending from said housing for manipulation thereof in an upright floor carried vacuum cleaning operation, and a closed position overlying said housing wherein said handle and housing cooperate to form a hand grip of discrete length at a location remote from said nozzle means adjacent said other end for manipulation thereof in a portable hand carried vacuum cleaning operation; latching means on said housing for removably latching said cover thereto in air tight relationship therewith; and mounting means for removably mounting said filter bag on said dirt reservoir, and mounting means includes a frame carrying said filter bag, a flange formed on said bottom and side walls, a groove on said frame for slidably receiving said flange, and means for holding said filter bag frame in air tight relationship in said reservoir.

Claim 10

A vacuum cleaner convertible between an upright vacuum cleaner and a portable hand carried vacuum cleaner, the combination comprising; a housing having opposite ends; nozzle means at one end of said housing; motor means in said housing for effecting suction of air through said nozzle means; filter means in said housing for receiving air from said nozzle means and arranged to remove and collect dirt from the air, said filter means includes a removable dirt reservoir carried by said housing disposed between said nozzle means and said motor means, and a filter bag carried by said dirt reservoir disposed between said reservoir and said motor means, and said housing includes a hollow portion extending between said motor means and said nozzle means, said dirt reservoir includes a cover closing said hollow portion, and said housing futher includes a bottom wall and side walls interconnecting said cover and bottom walls; a handle pivotably mounted on the other end of said housing for selective movement between an open position extending from said housing for manipulation thereof in an upright floor carried vacuum cleaning operation, and a closed position overlying said housing wherein said handle and housing cooperate to form a hand grip of discrete length at a location remote from said nozzle means adjacent said other end for manipulation thereof in a portable hand carried vacuum cleaning operation; latching means on said housing for removably latching said cover thereto in air tight relationship therewith; and mounting means for removably mounting said filter bag on said dirt reservoir, and mounting means includes a frame carrying said filter bag, a flange formed on said bottom and side walls, a groove on said frame for slidably receiving said flange, and means for holding said filter bag frame in air tight relationship in said reservoir.

Claim 11

The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein said holding means includes projection means on said cover engageable with said filter bag frame to hold said frame against said reservoir.

Claim 12

The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein said holding means further includes abutment means within the hollow portion of said housing engageable with said filter bag frame to hold said flange against said groove. .Iadd.10. A vacuum cleaner convertible between an upright vacuum cleaner and a portable hand-carried vacuum cleaner comprising: housing for vacuum components; said housing having opposite ends, a first side surface and a second opposite side surface; said vacuum components including a vacuum nozzle opening at one end of said housing, a motor having means for effecting suction of air through said vacuum nozzle, and a filter for receiving air from said vacuum nozzle and arranged to remove and collect dirt from the air; a handle pivotally mounted on the other end of said housing for selective movement between an open position extending from said housing means for manipulation thereof in an upright floor carried vacuum cleaning operation, and a closed position overlying said first side surface of said housing, said handle closely overlying said first side surface of said housing throughout substantially the entire length of said handle to create a compact visual appearance, said first side surface of said housing deviating downwardly away from said handle for only a sufficient portion of the length of said handle to define a hand-hold recess below said handle whereby a user can readily grasp said handle in said hand-hold area when said handle is in said closed position for manipulation thereof in a portable hand-carried vacuum cleaning operation; and handle locking means for locking said handle in its open position upon

Claim 13

movement thereto. .Iadd.11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, further including handle fastening means on said housing for fastening said handle in its closed position so that the length of said handle between its free end and said recess is held in a substantially abutting relationship against said housing means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein said handle locking means includes means for normally restraining the handle from pivotal movement out of its open position except upon the application of a predetermined external bending force on said handle. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. A vacuum cleaner convertible between an upright vacuum cleaner and a portable hand-carried vacuum cleaner, a combination comprising: housing for vacuum components; said housing having opposite ends; said vacuum components including a vacuum nozzle opening at one end of said housing means, a motor and motor driven fan for effecting suction of air through said vacuum nozzle, and a filter for receiving air from said vacuum nozzle and arranged to remove and collect dirt from the air; a handle pivotally mounted on the other end of said housing for selective movement between an open position extending from said housing for manipulation thereof in an upright floor carried vacuum cleaning operation, and a closed position overlying said housing for manipulation thereof in a portable hand-carried vacuum cleaning operation; handle locking means for automatically locking said handle in its open position upon movement thereto; and handle fastening means for automatically locking said handle in its closed portion upon movement thereto..Iaddend.